A pair of North Sea riggers have taken time from life offshore for a James Bond superspy adventure.
Father-and-son team James and Sam O’Neil make up one of the teams in the new Amazon Prime show 007: Road to a Million.
It took them from Torridon in Scotland to the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, near Naples.
They were also required to climb on top of a moving train in Chile’s Atacama Desert.
It’s all a far cry from life in the North Sea for James, who has spent 15 years in the oil and gas sector, working on projects including Taqa’s Brae Bravo removal off Aberdeen.
Sam was inspired to follow his father’s path in the oil and gas sector in Aberdeen, and has since become a rigger on a dive support vessel for Boskalis.
In the TV show pairs are made to hunt for questions laid out by Brian Cox’s villainous character, The Controller.
Spending time with dad was the highlight for show contestant Sam O’Neil
Sam said: “I went on the show and did the whole adventure before I ever got a job offshore. I think it was just chatting with my dad while I was out doing all of the crazy stuff, the cool stories about the people he’s met, the places he’s seen and the things he’s done. It kind of motivated me to get my tickets and try and get a start.
He added: “Some of my favourite moments… it was just spending a lot of time with my dad. We were making up for a lot of lost time, with him being away (with work).
‘They didn’t tell us it was Bond’
The pair regularly watch adventure shows at Christmas, which led to James applying for the show.
“They didn’t tell us it was James Bond until well into the audition stage,” he said, adding: “I think we were only told that at the point at which we signed the contract.
“We just thought it was some kind of new adventure show that was out.
“When we found that out it was Bond that just took it to the next level, overwhelmed with excitement.
“I went back and watched every single James Bond film again just so I could brush up.”
Spoilers below
But their adventure won’t stop with Bond. James and Sam, 21, plan to go to central Asia, where James spent time when he was a little older than his son is now and intends to mark his 50th birthday there.
“I lived in Tajikistan and did a lot of overland travel,” James said, adding. “When we were in Chile, Sam’s driving this Land Rover through the desert and he’s like ‘this place looks like the moon’.
“It just totally reminded me of the Pamir Mountains (Tajikistan). And I was like ‘yeah, I’ve been in places like this before, son, you know, and I’d love to take you with me’.”
They’ll also be spending their TV show wwinnings on a family holiday in the Maldives.
North Sea to James Bond: ‘I love working offshore’
The pair live in Belfast but regularly travel to Aberdeen, where they both trained for their work in the North Sea.
They are considering buying a flat in the Granite City to accommodate their frequent visits.
TV fame and the cash won’t stop their work offshore.
James, who has spent most of his career in the North Sea and is originally from Dundee, said: “I absolutely love working offshore.
“I love jumping on a plane, jumping on a chopper and working on the back deck, just surrounded by the ocean. It gives me some alone time – time to reflect and get fit. I hit the gym every day when I’m offshore. On the beach I just get lazy and fat.”
Sam said: “When I began I thought it would just be a couple of trips, but I am really enjoying it. I love the lifestyle and amount of time you get off back at home. It’s a strong bond with the people you work with, I really felt welcomed by the people around me.”
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