Finding Michael delayed: Disney+ issues statement on Spencer Matthews documentary
Why was Finding Michael not on Disney Plus on time?
Reality TV star Spencer Matthews’ heart-wrenching documentary following his mission to recover his brother’s body from Everest, titled Finding Michael, has caused quite the stir, but not for the reasons anticipated.
The documentary was set to be released on Disney Plus on Friday (3rd March).
However, viewers looking to watch the documentary were left baffled after the film failed to premiere on the streamer on the scheduled date.
Spencer’s brother Michael Matthews became the youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest in 1999 before disappearing just three hours after reaching the summit.
In Finding Michael, Spencer returns to Mount Everest alongside British adventurer Bear Grylls and mountaineer Nims Purja in an attempt to recover the body of his brother.
So, why was the documentary delayed? Read on for everything you need to know.
Finding Michael delayed: Why is the documentary not on Disney Plus?
While the exact reasoning for the delay is yet to be disclosed, Disney Plus issued a statement on the documentary on Saturday (4th March).
It read: “We’re sorry that the debut date for Finding Michael has shifted on Disney+. We will let you know as soon as we have new timings for its launch. This will be in the near future.”
The statement added: “Thanks for your patience.”
Spencer penned a similar message on his Instagram Story explaining that the "debut date has shifted".
He explained: "Apologies to everyone trying to view Finding Michael on Disney Plus. The debut date has shifted and we'll update you as soon as we have the timings."
He continued: "This will be in the near future. Thank you all for your support."
RadioTimes.com has contacted representatives for Disney Plus for further comment.
The documentary later arrived on the streaming service on Tuesday 7th March 2023 and Spencer confirmed the news in a post on social media.
When will Finding Michael land on Disney Plus?
Finding Michael was released on Disney+ on Tuesday 7th March 2023.
This was four days later than the scheduled release date the previous Friday.
Spencer wrote on Instagram once the documentary was released: "Thank you so much for your patience and overwhelming support. Really proud to be sharing Michael's story with you all..."
Finding Michael launches on Disney Plus on Friday 3rd March. Sign up to Disney Plus now for £79.90 for a year or £7.99 a month.
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Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
