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James Glancy

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James Glancy
CGC
Member of the European Parliament
for South West England
In office
2 July 2019 – 31 January 2020
Preceded byThe Earl of Dartmouth
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Personal details
Born
James Alexander Glancy

August 1982 (age 42)
Surrey, England
Political partyBrexit (2019-2020)
Other political
affiliations		Conservative (before 2019)
Alma materSt Anne's College, Oxford
OccupationConservationist/Presenter
Websitewww.jamesglancy.com
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Branch/serviceRoyal Marines
Years of service2001–2013
RankCaptain
UnitSpecial Boat Service
Battles/warsWar in Afghanistan
AwardsConspicuous Gallantry Cross
OccupationFilm maker
Years active2018 - present
OrganizationDiscovery Channel
Known forConservation biology
Notable work
  • Afghanistan
  • Sharkwrecked
StyleDocumentary film
AwardsConspicuous Gallantry Cross
Websitejamesglancey.com

James Alexander Glancy, CGC (born August 1982)[1] is a British television presenter, conservationist and former politician. He formerly served as a member of the Royal Marine Commandos and was a Brexit Party Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for South West England from 2019 to 2020.[2]

Early life and education

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Glancy was born in Surrey in 1982. Glancy studied history at St Anne's College, Oxford.[3][4] He was captain of the university's boxing team.[4] He was sponsored through university by the Royal Marines.[3]

Military service

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Glancy served in the Royal Marines and the Special Boat Service (SBS).[5] In March 2013, the then Captain Glancy was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross (CGC) "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Afghanistan during the period 1 April 2012 to 30 September 2012".[6] The CGC is a second level UK honour, with only the Victoria Cross ranking higher for combat gallantry. He completed three tours of Afghanistan.[7]

Filmmaking

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Glancy presented the environmental show Planet SOS on the Mail Plus and hosts documentaries on National Geographic and the Discovery Channel, including Shark Week.[8]

Afghanistan

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Afghanistan is a documentary film produced by Featuristic Films, offering a detailed insight into the United States invasion of Afghanistan.

The documentary originally set out to capture Glancy's return to Afghanistan, reflecting on his experiences and pondering the worth of the U.S. invasion. However, during its production, U.S. President Joe Biden announced the withdrawal of American troops. This move triggered a swift offensive by the Taliban, culminating in the Afghan government's collapse.

The narrative combines Glancy's personal tales, stories from his father who mingled with the Mujahideen in the 1980s, and insights into the daily life and culture of Afghanistan. Filmed across six provinces, the documentary reveals secret interactions with Taliban members, frontline combat alongside Mujahideen and Afghan special forces, and the voices of a diverse set of Afghans—from female mountaineers to inhabitants of refugee camps, and direct confrontations with the Taliban.

Glancy expressed deep concern regarding the rapid Taliban takeover after the documentary's production, opining that their work might be among the last to capture the lives of Afghans during that era.[9]

Sharkwrecked

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Glancy co-starred in the Discovery Channel's Sharkwrecked. The show's producers wanted to set the show at the U.S.S. Indianapolis (CA-35) wreck site where one of the USA's worst documented shark attacks occurred.[10] However, owing to the scarcity of oceanic whitetip sharks in that region, the location shifted to Cat Island in the Bahamas. The revised goal delivered a conservation message in a survival documentary-style format.

The special moved to Cat Island in The Bahamas, which is one of the whitetip's last habitats. Glancy collaborated with Paul de Gelder, an Australian military veteran who lost a hand and a leg to a shark in 2009. Both shared family ties to World War naval tragedies.

The duo braved 43 hours in open seas, facing threats from sharks, sheer exhaustion, dehydration, and hunger. They relied on life jackets during nighttime to prevent separation and used a netted barrier to deter sharks.

During their filming, an unexpected shift in ocean currents doubled their distance to the coast, prolonging potential medical rescue to approximately five hours. This situation was further complicated by sporadic storms in the vicinity.

Despite the risks, Glancy observed the oceanic whitetip shark's cautious nature and the dichotomy between the creature's reputation and his lived experience. The documentary emphasised the need for conservation, noting the severe decline in oceanic white-tip shark numbers due to overfishing.[8]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
2021 World's Biggest Bullshark? Camera Operator/Director/Producer [11]
2021 Great Hammerhead Stakeout Camera Operator/Director/Producer[12]
2023 Afghanistan Camera Operator/Director/Producer
2023 Squid Fleet Additional Drone/Cinematography Short
2023 Les oiseaux - Voyageurs du ciel Photography TV Series
2022 Deep Water Salvage Camera Operator/Director/Producer TV Series, Rated 7.7

[13]

Political career

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Glancy stood as a candidate in the 2019 European Parliament election for the Brexit Party. He was placed at number two on his party's list and was elected as one of its three MEPs in the South West England constituency alongside Ann Widdecombe and Christina Jordan.[14]

References

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  1. ^ "James Alexander GLANCY – Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk.
  2. ^ "The UK's European elections 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  3. ^ a b Bellini, Luciana (2 February 2016). "How posh is your bodyguard?". Tatler. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Cherwell takes up…boxing with James Glancy". Cherwell. 17 October 2003. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  5. ^ Coates, Sam (24 April 2019). "European elections: Leave and Remain party candidates". The Times. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  6. ^ "No. 60456". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 March 2013. p. 5738.
  7. ^ "James Glancy". Military Speakers. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  8. ^ a b Bierly, Mandi (25 July 2018). "43 Hours, Circling Fins, No Boat: All for the Shark Week Glory". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  9. ^ Barraclough, Leo (17 August 2021). "First Look at Feature Documentary 'Afghanistan,' Featuring Former British Commando James Glancy (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  10. ^ 2 men stranded in ocean for 'Shark Week' stunt (Video). 27 July 2018.
  11. ^ "World's Biggest Bullshark?".
  12. ^ "Great Hammerhead Stakeout". IMDb. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  13. ^ "James Glancy ImbD". IMDb. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  14. ^ "South West Region – 6 MEPs". www.europarl.europa.eu. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
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