Decades after losing Linda, Paul McCartney was given something unexpectedly precious — the chance to watch a chapter of their life together unfold again. While viewing the new Wings documentary Man On The Run, Paul found himself surrounded by rarely seen footage of the woman who had been his wife, bandmate and partner through the uncertain years after The Beatles. For Paul, seeing so much of Linda again made the experience deeply emotional — almost like watching his own life flash before his eyes. Behind the story of Wings and its remarkable rise is something even more personal: Paul getting to see Linda, young and beside him again, preserved forever on film.

‘Like my life flashing before my eyes’: Sir Paul McCartney’s emotional tribute to Linda in new Wings documentary

Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney on stage with Wings in 1976

Sir Paul McCartney has said his new documentary was “wonderful” to watch as it let him see “so much of” his late wife Linda.

Man On The Run, launched on Prime Video on Friday, features interviews with the Beatles star and previously unseen footage and archive material as it chronicles the formation of Wings with Linda, who died of cancer in 1998.

Sir Paul said on his website: “It’s crazy; like a period of my life flashing before my eyes.

“It’s wonderful because it’s full of different emotions and facets.

“One of the big things for me is seeing so much of Linda, which is great for me and the kids.”

Paul and Linda McCartney

The pair married in 1969 and had three children: photographer Mary, fashion designer Stella and singer-songwriter James.

The Beatles broke up in 1970 and Sir Paul and Linda started Wings in 1971 with former Moody Blues guitarist Denny Laine.

They recorded seven studio albums including Band On The Run in 1973, and achieved 12 UK top 10 singles, including a number one with Mull Of Kintyre, and eight UK top 10 albums.

The band, who split up in 1981, are best known for songs such as Jet, Silly Love Songs and Live And Let Die, the theme to the 1973 James Bond film.

Sir Paul added: “Overall, it’s a success story. The big question after The Beatles was: How do you follow that? Do you not bother? Or if you try, how?

“I think we did it in a particularly madcap way, and that’s what’s good about the film, it shows how we pulled it off.”