Charley Boorman
- Producer
- Writer
- Actor
Actor, father, motorbike fanatic: Charley Boorman is the epitome of the
modern adventurer in pursuit of fresh challenges away from the success
of his personal life. Choosing two wheels as his preferred mode of
transport, Charley harnessed the challenges of a 'round the World trip
with Ewan McGregor. Now his sights are set on the unyielding sands of the
desert.
Charley Boorman has been riding motorcycles since he was seven years
old. The son of renowned film director John Boorman, he grew up on a farm in
Ireland and used to ride through the fields on his first motorbike and
took part in schoolboy motor cross and Enduro races. The bike bug
remained with Charley and, for four years, he ran a motorcycle race
team and spent the years riding with David Jeffries and Matt Llewelyn.
In 2004, Charley and his best mate Ewan McGregor came up with the madcap idea
of circumnavigating the globe on motorbikes. After months of intense
preparations when at times, it looked like the project would not get
off the ground, the pair set off from London in April 2004.
Over the next three grueling months, they traveled through three
continents and fifteen countries. Long Way Round (2004) was the realisation of a
dream born out of two friends' love of motorbikes, the freedom of the
open road, and the adrenaline rush of an extreme challenge. Their
entire journey was filmed for Long Way Round (2004), a unique television series that
was broadcast on Sky One in the UK and Bravo (USA) and spawned a
best-selling DVD, book and CD soundtrack. It has now sold the world
over into many territories including Australia, Canada, Japan, France,
Spain, and Italy.
Following the overwhelming success of Long Way Round (2004), Charley has become an
icon in the motorcycling world. On the Long Way Round (2004), UK Tour Charley visited
motorcycle and adventure exhibitions plus BMW dealerships across the UK
to talk about his adventures. Each event was a sell-out as crowds
flocked to catch a glimpse of Charley and have their book or DVD
signed. A similar tour of the southern hemisphere is to take place this
winter.
Next up, Charley is taking on the desert with one of the World's
harshest challenges: the Lisbon-Dakar Rally. This is not just a race
out of Europe via the Iberian Peninsula and down through West Africa.
This is one of the most physically and emotionally demanding battles
across inhospitable terrain, alone, to achieve the impossible. But for
Charley, it is, as for many others, one of the most romantic and
dangerous races known to man.
It remains the only race open to both amateur and professional bikers
and for a first time participant like Charley, finishing the race in
Dakar will be the ultimate goal.
modern adventurer in pursuit of fresh challenges away from the success
of his personal life. Choosing two wheels as his preferred mode of
transport, Charley harnessed the challenges of a 'round the World trip
with Ewan McGregor. Now his sights are set on the unyielding sands of the
desert.
Charley Boorman has been riding motorcycles since he was seven years
old. The son of renowned film director John Boorman, he grew up on a farm in
Ireland and used to ride through the fields on his first motorbike and
took part in schoolboy motor cross and Enduro races. The bike bug
remained with Charley and, for four years, he ran a motorcycle race
team and spent the years riding with David Jeffries and Matt Llewelyn.
In 2004, Charley and his best mate Ewan McGregor came up with the madcap idea
of circumnavigating the globe on motorbikes. After months of intense
preparations when at times, it looked like the project would not get
off the ground, the pair set off from London in April 2004.
Over the next three grueling months, they traveled through three
continents and fifteen countries. Long Way Round (2004) was the realisation of a
dream born out of two friends' love of motorbikes, the freedom of the
open road, and the adrenaline rush of an extreme challenge. Their
entire journey was filmed for Long Way Round (2004), a unique television series that
was broadcast on Sky One in the UK and Bravo (USA) and spawned a
best-selling DVD, book and CD soundtrack. It has now sold the world
over into many territories including Australia, Canada, Japan, France,
Spain, and Italy.
Following the overwhelming success of Long Way Round (2004), Charley has become an
icon in the motorcycling world. On the Long Way Round (2004), UK Tour Charley visited
motorcycle and adventure exhibitions plus BMW dealerships across the UK
to talk about his adventures. Each event was a sell-out as crowds
flocked to catch a glimpse of Charley and have their book or DVD
signed. A similar tour of the southern hemisphere is to take place this
winter.
Next up, Charley is taking on the desert with one of the World's
harshest challenges: the Lisbon-Dakar Rally. This is not just a race
out of Europe via the Iberian Peninsula and down through West Africa.
This is one of the most physically and emotionally demanding battles
across inhospitable terrain, alone, to achieve the impossible. But for
Charley, it is, as for many others, one of the most romantic and
dangerous races known to man.
It remains the only race open to both amateur and professional bikers
and for a first time participant like Charley, finishing the race in
Dakar will be the ultimate goal.