Netflix’s “Skyscraper Live,” which follows independent solo climber Alex Honnold as he climbs Taipei 101 Tower in Taiwan, has been postponed due to rain and will be rescheduled for Saturday night US time (Sunday morning Taiwan time).
“Due to weather conditions, we are unable to proceed with today’s SkyscraperLIVE event. It has been rescheduled for Saturday, January 24th at 8pm ET/5pm PT,” the streamer said in a statement. “Safety remains our top priority and we appreciate your understanding.”
Honnold shared the news on Instagram, writing, “From Taipei, where it’s raining. It’s raining today, so unfortunately I can’t climb any buildings. I guess climbing is always at the mercy of nature. That’s what it is… I’m going to go hiking and have a fun day. But bummer. However, I can’t climb a skyscraper if it’s raining, so please keep an eye out for it tomorrow. I hope I can get a chance to climb the building at the same time tomorrow, and then I’ll see how nature takes its course. In any case, I’m really grateful for everyone’s support. I hope the weather improves.”
In an article published today in Variety, Plimsoll Prods said: Ltd. CEO Grant Mansfield, Plimsoll Adventures Director James Smith, and Netflix’s Vice President of Unscripted Jeff Gaspin all mentioned the possibility of postponements due to weather.
A climbing date in January was chosen because Taiwan is currently in the dry season, but there was still a chance of rain, and the forecast predicted that it could be humid the morning Honnold began his climb. “Skyscraper Live” was scheduled to kick off at 9 a.m. local time, so rain was expected. According to AccuWeather, the weather forecast for tomorrow is currently calling for “sunny and comfortable” weather in Taipei.
“If it’s determined to be too humid and there’s too much moisture in the building, it will probably be postponed to the next day. It will be aired on Saturday night in the U.S.,” Smith told Variety. “We can delay it another day if we need to. Obviously, Alex has to be 100 percent comfortable and happy with himself and his conditions, and so must our safety team.”
Gaspin likened the live broadcast window to “a space shuttle launch. If for some reason it doesn’t launch that day, we’ll be on site for several days.” “But then there will probably be a bigger schedule change. April to September is the rainy season, so there are only a limited number of times of the year when you can actually climb the tower.”
“He’s not going to be in that building unless we’re all comfortable,” Mansfield said. “But there was a huge amount of planning going into this. He said he’s the healthiest he’s ever been. He’s really been training for this. We went to Taipei during the dry season, and there’s always the risk of a light rain. It’s a live event, you never know what’s going to happen, and you can’t control the weather.”
Honnold became a famous rock climber, known for his daring “free solo” feats of climbing cliffs without the aid of ropes or safety equipment. He was the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary “Free Solo,” which chronicled his ascent of the 3,000-foot “Freerider” route of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.
The two-hour “Skyscraper Live” will follow Honnold as he attempts to solo-climb Taipei 101, a 101-story skyscraper that measures 1,667 feet and is the 11th tallest building in the world (and the tallest in Taiwan). Plimsoll Pros. Limited, part of ITV Studios, is producing the special. Al Berman is the showrunner and executive producer of Skyscraper Live, which also includes EPs by Honnold, Grant Mansfield, James Smith, Alan Ayers and Jonathan Retzek. Directed by Joe DeMaio.
Honnold’s Instagram video explains the postponement:
