Netflix has delayed its live coverage of climber Alex Honnold’s attempt to scale one of Asia’s tallest skyscrapers. The event was supposed to air live on Friday night, January 23, but has now been pushed to Saturday night because of wet weather in Taipei.
Honnold is attempting to climb the famous Taipei 101 skyscraper. The building stands 1,677 feet tall and he plans to climb it without ropes or safety gear. Netflix confirmed the climb will now be live-streamed on Saturday at 8pm ET and 1pm GMT.
Just 30 minutes before the climb was due to begin on Friday, Netflix announced the postponement. A spokesperson said the decision was made because of the weather and that safety remains the top priority. They thanked viewers for their understanding and confirmed the new date and time.
Taipei 101 is one of the tallest buildings in the world. It was completed in 2004 and has 101 floors, which is where its name comes from. The tower was once the tallest building on Earth until Dubai’s Burj Khalifa took the title in 2010. The structure is made from steel, glass, and concrete and is considered an architectural landmark in Taiwan.
Alex Honnold is best known for his rope-free climb of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park in 2017. That historic climb was featured in the Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo, which brought him global fame. Since then, Honnold has become one of the most well-known climbers in the world.
Honnold has said that climbing Taipei 101 was an opportunity he could not turn down. He explained that many skyscrapers are not suitable for climbing, but Taipei 101 is different. He also said that getting permission to climb a building like this is extremely rare, and when the chance comes, you have to take it.
Netflix’s live event is expected to draw huge interest once it goes ahead, as viewers watch Honnold attempt another dangerous and historic climb in real time.
