World's Toughest Drive: My African Adventure, review: a devastating portrait of living with Parkinson's
You know those travelogues where you strongly suspect that the pampered presenter flew in for a few days, stayed at a five-star hotel, filmed a few stage-managed encounters, then flew home again? World's Toughest Drive: My African Adventure (Channel 4) was the polar opposite. And far better for it.
Broadcast to coincide with World Parkinson's Day, this quietly devastating documentary followed Colonel Guy Deacon, a formerly fit and healthy army officer who has been living with Parkinson's disease for the past 12 years. His diagnosis came as a shock. 'I was the breadwinner and a leader of men,' he said with tears in his eyes. 'Now I can't get out of bed. It's a role reversal which isn't welcome.'
Upon retirement, Deacon set out on one last adventure – his long-cherished dream to drive solo from his home in Dorset to Cape Town. Undertaken against all medical advice, the journey was intended to prove to the world, and to himself, that you need not give up on life if you have Parkinson's.
Deacon's year-long odyssey covered 18,000 miles across 25 countries. Not to mention five vehicular breakdowns, one emergency evacuation and 3,650 prescription pills. No wonder his VW camper van rattled. The challenges he faced – illegal checkpoints, extreme weather, terrible road conditions – made this an incredible feat.
Deacon described the realities of his condition in vivid terms: 'It's like wearing oversized wellies all the time and big rubber gloves that don't quite fit. Everything is laboured and difficult.' But ultimately, he was on a mission to raise awareness and provoke discussion.
Many of the most powerful moments came when he met fellow sufferers: a Ghanaian MP who thought his disease was specific to Africa, a 35-year-old mother with early-onset Parkinson's who's now a campaigner. In Uganda, Hannington Kabugo had lost his mother to the disease. Shunned by her community, she spent her last years in exile and wouldn't let anyone touch her, believing it was contagious. Her son has tried to educate others. Deacon was 'inspired not to let Parkinson's have the final say in who I am and to help spread Hannington's message of hope'.
The 12-month trip and vast continent meant cameras couldn't track him 24/7. Director Rob Hayward joined him intermittently, with the rest filled in by Deacon's own video diary. This patchwork feel only lent further authenticity and impact. After a shamanic ceremony in Gabon and a skydive in Namibia – how's that for not giving up on life? – Deacon reached the end.
'We've done it,' he said, slightly deflated. 'No more road.' Except there is more road. A closing caption informed us that Deacon has since suffered a stroke. He's on the road to recovery and determined to be back behind the wheel soon. From what we saw during this extraordinary and emotive film, you wouldn't bet against him.
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