Could Alex Honnold die during Skyscraper Live? How to watch Netflix’s most dangerous event ever

Alex Honnold is climbing a 1,700ft building live on TVSkyscraper Live is shaping up to be one of the boldest and most dangerous things Netflix has ever attempted, so you will want to know exactly when Alex Honnold’s climb begins.

Back in 2017, Honnold scaled El Capitan, a 3,000ft rock face in California, without ropes, safety gear or protection of any kind. The feat, known as a free solo, was later documented in a film that became one of the most acclaimed climbing documentaries ever made (it’s on Disney Plus now).

Tonight, on January 23 (or technically January 24 for UK viewers), Honnold is raising the stakes again.

This time, he is climbing a skyscraper live, using only his hands, chalk and experience. Here is everything you need to know before Skyscraper Live begins.

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This is Netflix’s biggest risk ever (Credit: Netflix)

How and when to watch Skyscraper Live

Skyscraper Live will begin streaming at 1am UK time on Saturday, January 24, and it’s expected to last two hours.

Unless you are used to late-night live events, that start time may come as a surprise. However, there are two key reasons Netflix has landed on this slot.

Firstly, 1am in the UK lines up with prime-time viewing in North America, airing at 8pm ET and 5pm PT on January 23. Netflix is clearly aiming to draw the biggest possible live audience.

Secondly, and more importantly, it is the safest window for Honnold to climb. While it is the early hours for UK viewers, it will be 9am at the location itself, meaning daylight conditions without extreme heat.

Where Skyscraper Live is being filmed

Skyscraper Live is taking place in Taipei, Taiwan, with Alex Honnold attempting to climb Taipei 101.

Speaking ahead of the event, Honnold explained that gaining permission to climb a skyscraper is extremely rare. Many climbers who attempt it do so illegally and risk arrest.

“It’s amazing and it’s an incredible building,” he said. “It’s possible, which a lot of skyscrapers aren’t. It’s uniquely suited for climbing.

“It’s really hard to get permission to climb a building and I have permission. Basically, it’s just rare to get this kind of opportunity, so you’ve got to jump when you can.”

How tall Taipei 101 really is

Taipei 101 stands at 1,667ft tall, and Honnold will be climbing all 101 floors of the building.

To put that into perspective, the Eiffel Tower is just over 1,000ft tall, while the Empire State Building measures 1,454ft including its antenna. The original World Trade Center towers stood at roughly 1,360ft.

Taipei 101 was the tallest building in the world between 2004 and 2009 and is currently the 11th-tallest overall.

Honnold has already identified the toughest section of the climb. According to him, the “most physically demanding part” will be the bamboo boxes, a stretch of 64 floors made up of overhanging walls and windows.
Will Alex Honnold survive? (Credit: Netflix)

What would happen if Alex Honnold fell?

Alex Honnold has been open about the risks involved. If he falls during the climb, he could die.

However, he has also explained that Taipei 101 offers slightly more margin for survival than some other climbs. During the bamboo box section, balconies appear every eight floors, meaning a fall would not necessarily be fatal in every scenario.

“If something happens, I would die,” he said. “Though, actually, on this particular building, that’s not totally true because there are balconies every eight floors.

“The shape of the building is such that you could fall in tons of places and not actually die, which makes it safer than a lot of rock climbing objectives.”

That does not make the climb safe. There is no safety net, no harness, and no backup plan. As Honnold himself puts it, “the whole point is that it’s fundamentally not safe”.