What could possibly go wrong?
Discovery Channel is upping its thrill-seeking ante — and will air Joby Ogwyn’s jump off the summit of Mount Everest.
“Everest Jump Live” will take place in May (no final date, yet). During the two-hour event, Ogwyn will leap off the mountain’s peak — 29,000 feet above sea level — wearing a custom-made “wing suit” manned with cameras to capture his 10,000-foot vertical plummet reaching speeds of over 150 mph.
It’s the latest in Discovery’s live breathtaking TV events, which have snared big ratings for the cable network.
Last summer, Discovery aired Nik Wallenda’s tightrope walk over the Grand Canyon — without a safety net or harness — and roped in 13 million viewers.
It also aired Felix Baumgartner’s world-record-setting jump from space, which was watched by over 5 million viewers (combined telecast on both Discovery and Velocity).
Joby is no stranger to Mount Everest. In 2008, he set the world record for the fastest ascent of the mountain, climbing from the base of the south side to the summet in nine-and-a-half hours (a climb that typically takes three-to-four days, according to Discovery).
He will conduct dozens of test jumps before attempting his live televised leap in May, which will air in 224 countries worldwide.