Phillip McCallen: This Sporting Life

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BBC Northern Ireland region started on 19th April 1955 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One Northern Ireland.

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This Sporting Life

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Simulcast of BBC One Northern Ireland in high definition. From 24/10/2012

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Stephen Watson

Phillip McCallen

Simon Miller

Mary McKeagney

This Sporting Life: Series 1: Phillip McCallen

Series 1

BBC Radio Scotland - This Sporting Life, Series 1, Phillip McCallen

Stephen Watson hears how the local road racer survived crashes to break motorbike records.

Road racer Phillip McCallen has broken his back and been in several comas. Stephen Watson hears what it’s like to live life at 200 miles an hour and smash motorbike racing records.




Phillip McCallen was born within a stone’s throw of the Tandragee road racing circuit, but little did he know as he watched motorbikes speed past him as a child that he’d go on to become one of the UK’s top road racers.

Phillip would end up smashing road racing records – scoring five wins at the North West 200 in 1992 and four wins in a week in 1996 at the Isle of Man TT. Along with breaking records however, he was also breaking bones. Throughout his career Phillip would enter a coma several times, break his back, shatter his shoulder and lose his sight. His darkest moment, though, would come after the 1992 Ulster Grand Prix when he was accused of causing the death of another rider.

Speaking candidly to Stephen Watson, Phillip reveals what it’s really like to live life at 200 miles an hour – and why he eventually decided his glittering motorcycle racing career had to come to an end.

This Sporting Life: Series 1

BBC Radio Scotland

Documentaries looking at the lives of sports personalities.

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