Ewan McGregor has revealed he nearly died when a car rear-ended his motorcycle while he was riding into Calgary during the Long Way Round trip, saying the panniers on his bike probably prevented a worse outcome.
The Scots actor told the story at a fan event in Canada this month, recounting that he and Charley Boorman were close to the end of a near-20,000-mile journey when traffic slowed on the freeway. "I almost got killed in Calgary. We were coming down into Calgary from Alaska," McGregor said. "We were on the freeway and were going to be in Calgary in an hour or two and all the traffic started to slow down. So I slowed down and the next thing I knew I was looking at the sky and was like 'Oh s***, what's happened'." He said a young driver had completely rear-ended his bike and that the panniers on the motorcycle absorbed much of the impact.
McGregor's recollection was published by John Paul Breslin for the Scottish Mail on Sunday on Sept. 6, 2025. The incident occurred during filming for Long Way Round, the travel documentary in which McGregor and Boorman rode motorcycles over a long-distance route that took them from Europe across Asia, through Alaska and into North America en route to New York.
The actor, known for his interest in motorbikes and classic cars, said the crash happened near the end of the journey when fatigue and heavy traffic converged. He framed the episode as a close call, noting that equipment intended for long-distance travel — the hard-sided panniers mounted on his bike — reduced the severity of what could have been a fatal impact.
Long Way Round, first broadcast in 2004, documented the pair's route and the challenges of overland travel across remote and urban stretches alike. McGregor and Boorman have repeatedly described the voyage's hazards in previous interviews and appearances, from difficult terrain to mechanical problems and unpredictable road conditions. The Calgary crash is among the more dramatic incidents the actors have publicly recounted since the trip.
At the fan event, McGregor also reflected on his broader passion for vehicles and adventure riding, which has taken him around the world. He has previously spoken about the risks inherent in long-distance motorcycling and the precautions riders take, such as protective gear and reinforced luggage systems. The recall of the Calgary collision adds a stark personal example to those warnings and underscores how quickly routine highway travel can turn dangerous.
The Scottish Mail on Sunday account provides the most detailed public retelling of the episode to date. McGregor's description did not include medical details beyond his immediate survival, and his comments focused on the role of the bike's equipment in mitigating the crash rather than on any long-term consequences from the impact.