Netflix has postponed its live broadcast of Alex Honnold’s free solo climb of Taipei 101, the 101-storey skyscraper in Taiwan, due to heavy rain. The event, originally scheduled for Friday, will now take place on Saturday night US time (Sunday morning local time).
In a statement, the streaming service said: “Due to weather, we are unable to proceed with today’s SkyscraperLIVE event. It has been rescheduled for Saturday, January 24 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. Safety remains our top priority.” Honnold also shared a video on Instagram from a “very rainy Taipei”, expressing disappointment but noting that climbing is “always at the mercy of nature”.
Producers had anticipated the possibility of a delay, with Plimsoll Prods head of adventure James Smith explaining that if conditions were too wet, the event would be pushed to the next day. The chosen date is within Taiwan’s dry season, but rain remained a risk. Honnold’s safety and comfort are paramount, with Smith emphasising that the climber must be 100% happy with the conditions.
Honnold, famed for his rope-free ascents and subject of the Oscar-winning documentary 'Free Solo', will attempt to scale the 1,667-foot tower without ropes or safety equipment. The two-hour special will be produced by Plimsoll Prods. Ltd, part of ITV Studios, with Al Berman as showrunner and executive producer, alongside Honnold, Grant Mansfield, James Smith, Alan Eyres, and Jonathan Retseck.
