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James Glancy
CGC
James Glancy CGC
Member of the European Parliament; for South West England
	In office; 2 July 2019 – 31 January 2020
Preceded by	The Earl of Dartmouth
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Personal details
Born	James Alexander Glancy; August 1982 (age 42); Surrey, England
Political party	Brexit (2019-2020)
Other political; affiliations	Conservative (before 2019)
Alma mater	St Anne's College, Oxford
Occupation	Conservationist/Presenter
Website	www.jamesglancy.com
Military service
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch/service	Royal Marines
Years of service	2001–2013
Rank	Captain
Unit	Special Boat Service
Battles/wars	War in Afghanistan
Awards	Conspicuous Gallantry Cross
Occupation	Film maker
Years active	2018 - present
Organization	Discovery Channel
Known for	Conservation biology
Notable work	Afghanistan; Sharkwrecked;
Style	Documentary film
Awards	Conspicuous Gallantry Cross
Website	jamesglancey.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

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

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

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

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

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

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