Dan Aykroyd reveals why he signed up to new series The UnBelievable
Aykroyd has always been intrigued by things that don't make complete sense.
Get ready to discover some of history's most mysterious and bizarre people, things and inventions – with none other than Dan Aykroyd.
In new documentary series The Unbelievable with Dan Aykroyd, the actor takes viewers on a journey through time to reveal the "strangest true stories in human history".
From Boston's Great Molasses Flood to a man who survived being struck by lightning seven times, the new Sky History series has got it all. But what was Aykroyd's motivation for taking on a series like this?
In an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com, Aykroyd revealed why he decided to narrate the series, noting that most people are "fascinated by events that seem impossible and that defy the mind".
He continued: "So when they told me that this was to be the nature of it, I signed up right away. I said, 'Yeah, I'd love to do this' because I knew how much fun it would be. Also, I'm a fan of Charles Fort. He went around the world at the late 1800s, turn of the century, collecting the weirdest stories from everywhere."
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The actor, best known for his work in the Ghostbusters franchise and the likes of Trading Places and The Blues Brothers, explained he has always been a fan of Fort's work, and a series like The UnBelievable seemed like a no-brainer, given his history in spiritualism.
"My family has roots in spiritualism and my great grandfather was a dentist in Kingston, Ontario. He was also a spiritualist researcher," Aykroyd told RadioTimes.com.
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"They had seances in the old farmhouse for a couple of decades there. And that's the whole reason I wrote Ghostbusters. Just because that's my family business. The concept was that the soul and the spirit can survive after death and not only can the spirit survive, but the consciousness and identity of the person can survive and reach back to us here with a proper chance."
It was from this that Aykroyd's interest in the series brewed. "I've always been interested in the unexplained, the supernatural and in the unbelievable," he said.
As for why audiences tune in to discover such unbelievable circumstances, Aykroyd believes it is because people are attracted to "the thrill of it".
"It's a suspense thriller," he said. "We start out with these stories, and then as they evolve, they just get more and more striking. And everyone loves reality-defying events.
"I think anything that presents new knowledge, that presents information that we haven't heard before. We are, as humans, eager to absorb and accept it."
The UnBelievable with Dan Aykroyd is available to watch on Sky History. Looking for something else to watch? Check out more of our Documentaries coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight.
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