Producer behind Brian Cox documentaries dies in mountaineering accident in the French Alps
10 June 2025, 15:19
A film-maker who worked alongside Brian Cox has died in a mountaineering accident in the French Alps.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Michael Lachmann, 54, died on Sunday after the accident in the Vanoise National Park near Pralognan.
His family said he slipped and fell while coming down the Grands Couloirs glacier not far from a property the family owns in the area.
His sister Professor Helen Lachmann told the Times: “He was the most lovely, funny, talented, witty, clever man and film-maker. He knew everything about everything, and made it sound fresh and funny.
"He adored his two boys, they were the centre of his whole life. He was much loved, and he will be much missed.”
Mr Lachmann worked on the Wonders series about space and nature with Brian Cox. Productions he worked on won a Bafta, several RTS awards and an Emmy nomination.
Read more: UK sanctions two far-right Israeli ministers as it ramps up pressure over Gaza
Read more: Police searching for Madeleine McCann uncover clothing and bones in Portugal dig
He became a BBC producer and director after completing science degrees at the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London.
Recently he worked as Producer/Director on Brian Cox: Seven Days on Mars for BBC Two and Killers of the Cosmos for the Science Channel.
In a recent interview he talked about the experience of travelling to work in China for the first time while the country was closed to foreigners.
“Our goal was to offer insights into the world of Chinese scientists and developers and their advances in physics, space exploration, new energy and artificial intelligence,” he said.
“It was an amazing – if not entirely straightforward – experience. China can be a demanding place to work. Every day brings surprises and unexpected changes to plans.”
He hailed the hard work and professionalism of the Chinese film crew and described the experience as a ‘true adventure’.
