Brian Wilkins, centre, with Charles Evans, left, and Sir Edmund Hillary on Makalu in 1954.

A former climbing partner of Sir Edmund Hillary says he feels immense pride for saving the life of the great man on a perilous Himalayan expedition.

Brian Wilkins is not well known outside the climbing world but in 1954 he changed history in a little-known high altitude rescue.

Now 90, and living in Kelburn, Wilkins and Hillary were part of a New Zealand Alpine Club attempt on Makalu in Nepal – the world's fifth highest peak - which nearly led to disaster.

Brian Wilkins with his book on the 1954 Makalu Expedition where Sir Edmund Hillary almost died from altitude sickness.

The dramatic rescue doesn't feature in TVNZ's Hillary, which Wilkins says doesn't accurately replicate the high-altitude climbing scenes, and misses the mark on Sir Ed's tense relationship with his father.

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One year after shooting to fame by climbing Mt Everest, Hillary embarked on an expedition which went badly for him from the start.

TVNZ The six-part drama Hillary began screening on TV One on August 21.

Burdened with the expectations which came from making history on his Everest ascent, Hillary was under-prepared physically and mentally, says Wilkins.

The situation got worse for Hillary, who by then was Sir Edmund, when he helped rescue Wilkins and another climber after they fell into a crevasse.

Hillary broke some ribs and later became extremely ill.

Wilkins and the other climbers, who included Charles Evans and George Lowe who had been on Everest with Hillary, had to make the decision to abandon the climb to save their leader. Severely dehydrated and delirious, Hillary was close to death.

Using pack frames and canvas, they slid and carried him down the mountain to reach lower altitudes and safety.

Looking back, Wilkins admits to pride in helping save a man who would go on to win world-wide fame for crossing the South Pole and for his humanitarian work in Nepal.

As one of the last climbers left, who climbed with Hillary in the Himalayas, Hillary, TV One's top-rating dramatisation of Hillary's life, has stirred up vivid memories for Wilkins.

The six part series was written by Tom Scott, who was a close friend of Hillary's.

Although Wilkins has enjoyed the show, there are aspects he disagrees with.

"It is hard to convince me that any of the climbing stuff carries much integrity."

In early life Hillary is portrayed as a weak character who was dominated by his father before climbing Everest.

Wilkins remembers him as a person "breaking free" from the shackles of his father and who was growing in confidence after doing some significant climbing in the Southern Alps.

"He was shown as something of a wimp, whereas he was a very strong character."

Wilkins felt the way the relationship between Hillary and his future wife, Louise Rose, was portrayed was much more accurately.

The rescue does not feature in the show. Wilkins says Hillary preferred to talk and write about his more successful trips and Makalu had largely been overlooked until Wilkins wrote a book Among Secret Beauties on the expedition in 2013.

After Makalu, Wilkins concentrated on his teaching career and had little contact with Hillary, who was a person he liked.

"When we started out in Nepal, the very first night, I spilled a candle and burned a hole in his brand new sleeping bag. He did not complain. When we started off there was no hint of rank, we were all just New Zealand climbers."