27 February 2023 , 00:01
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Spencer Matthews was just 10 in 1999 when his 22-year-old brother Michael became the youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest – but lost his life in the process.
Now, 23 years on, the former Made in Chelsea star has told how his family have decided to try and bring him home.
He explained: “We were uncomfortable with him being left on Everest, and the fact that we never had a body to mourn or say goodbye to felt wrong.
"I always had images of him being alone, cold and face down on the mountain.”
The difficult, costly search was prompted by a photo of a body in the snow being sent to the family by a climber who thought it might be Michael.
Spencer Matthews and Jamie Laing set pulses racing in shirtless snap
The film shows Spencer Matthews' tireless search to find his brother's body (Courtesy of Disney+)Spencer said: “After that picture the thought started swirling round my head to try and recover his body.
"Once we realised Everest had become more commercial and there was more access, I felt we had to do it.”
His quest to find his brother has been made into a feature-length documentary for Disney+. In it, Spencer heads to Nepal to recruit elite climber Nims Purja to lead a 10-strong team of sherpas.
Spencer said: “We were keen to make sure there was as little risk as possible to other life.
The documentary will be released on Disney+ (Courtesy of Disney+)
Spencer was 10 years old when Matthew went missing"Their physiology is off the charts. It’s in their blood. I hope the film will give Michael the legacy he deserves.”
Michael disappeared near the summit in Everest’s so-called Death Zone, above 8,000m, and the guide who was with him has since died. Some 304 climbers have died on Everest – about seven a year.
Most of their bodies have not been recovered. Viewers are shown the last photo of Michael in his red climbing gear at the summit.
Spencer said: “I hate the picture. All I see is a young man in the process of losing his life.”
Nimsdai Purja close to the summit of Everest, May 2022 (Courtesy of Disney+)Spencer spent a month at base camp, flying out nine days after wife Vogue Williams gave birth to their third child, Otto, last spring.
He waited at the camp while Nims and the team carried out their searches.
Spencer Matthews climbs Everest to find his late brother's body for his mum
He said: “It’s a pretty rough environment. Quiet and lifeless. The air is very thin.
"You get tired easily and the days are very long. Nights are cold and uncomfortable. I missed the children and Vogue intensely.
Spencer spent a month at base camp (Courtesy of Disney+)“I had to prepare to come face to face with Michael’s frozen body, which is difficult.”
He said the experience made him feel closer to Michael and he got to meet Canadian climber Dave Rodney, who’d been on the 1999 expedition with his brother.
Spencer said: “He shared the video of their trip. It was the first time I’ve heard Mike’s voice in over 20 years, it was incredible.”
Nims, who has reached the summit of Everest 32 times, said he chose the best team to accompany him.
Spencer Matthews and Nimsdai Purja at Everest Base Camp (Courtesy of Disney+ © 2022.)Whether the mission is successful is being kept under wraps. Spencer’s friend Bear Grylls is a producer on the project.
He said: “Technology improves and things change, but [Everest] still claims a lot of people’s lives. No mountain is worth dying for a second time over.”
Finding Michael, will stream on Disney+ from March 3.