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Tightrope walker Nik Wallenda is about to perform the most daring high-wire stunt of his career when he walks across the active Masaya volcano in Nicaragua. Titled Volcano Live! with Nik Wallenda, the event begins at 8 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. CT on ABC.
If you don’t have cable, you can watch a live stream of Volcano Live! on your computer, phone, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV or other streaming device via one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming subscription services:
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Hulu With Live TV
ABC (live in select markets) is included in Hulu With Live TV, which comes with 60-plus live TV channels and Hulu’s extensive on-demand library of TV shows and movies.
Once signed up for Hulu With Live TV, you can watch a live stream of Volcano Live! on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Echo Show, or other streaming device via the Hulu app.
If you can’t watch live, “Hulu with Live TV” comes with both its extensive on-demand library (which has most new episodes, events, and specials available after they air) and 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to “Enhanced Cloud DVR,” which gives you 200 hours of DVR space and the ability to fast forward through commercials).
AT&T TV Now
AT&T TV Now (formerly DirecTV Now) offers six different channel bundles. They range from 45 to 125 live TV channels, and they all include ABC (live in select markets). The “Plus” and “Max” bundles both include a free seven-day trial:
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Once signed up for AT&T TV Now, you can watch a live stream of Volcano Live! on your computer via the AT&T TV Now website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, or other compatible streaming device via the AT&T TV app.
If you can’t watch live, AT&T TV Now — no matter what channel package you choose — comes with included cloud DVR.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV comes with 70-plus live TV channels, including ABC (live in select markets).
Once signed up for YouTube TV, you can then watch a live stream of Volcano Live! on your computer via the YouTube website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, or other compatible streaming devices via the YouTube app.
If you can’t watch live, YouTube TV comes with included DVR.
‘Volcano Live with Nik Wallenda’ Preview
Nik Wallenda’s trek over the Masaya volcano will be broadcast live during ABC’s two-hour special, “Volcano Live!” His previous televised stunts have included walks across Times Square, the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls. But Wallenda says this upcoming walk is the most challenging feat of his career because of additional distractions he’s never faced before.
For starters, Wallenda will be able to see the bubbling lake of lava and feel its heat, which can reach temperatures as hot as 2,000 degrees. He described the sounds of the volcano as “intimidating” during an interview with Good Morning America.
Wallenda will be loaded with additional equipment he’s never needed during past stunts. He has to wear a gas mask in order to protect himself from the dangerous sulphuric fumes emanating from the volcano. The gases could cause his eyes to tear and hinder his vision.
Wallenda has been practicing by closing his eyes while on the wire as well, to prepare for the possibility that he may not be able to see clearly. He explained to Reuters, “I’ll be dealing with the gases that are so thick that you can potentially not be able to see 10 feet in front of me.” Wallenda also expected to be equipped with an oxygen tank.
In addition, Wallenda may have to deal with a slippery surface. The volcano emits a greasy substance that could make the two-inch wire slicker, Wallenda explained to GMA. To prepare for this, Wallenda said he greased the wire in his backyard and practiced walking on it.
Wallenda explained to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune that walking over an active volcano has been a dream of his for a very long time. He described the volcano’s lava lake as the “most mesmerizing piece of mother nature” he’d ever seen. But he also acknowledges the inherent danger. “I can train for everything except for a volcano erupting.”
Wallenda hails from a long line of acrobats and circus performers. The Wallenda family began touring in the 1780s, during the era of the Austro-Hungarian empire. The Flying Wallendas became widely known due to their daring high-wire acts. Nik Wallenda and his sister, Lijana, are part of the seventh generation of performers. The family moved to the United States in the 1920s after accepting an invitation to join the Ringling Brothers Circus.
The family business is not without its tragedies. Nik Wallenda’s great-grandfather, Karl Wallenda, fell while walking between buildings in Puerto Rico in 1978. He lost his balance due to strong winds, the New York Times reported that year. In 1962, Karl’s son was paralyzed and two other family members died while attempting a seven-person pyramid. In 2017, Nik Wallenda’s sister, Lijana, broke nearly every bone in her face after falling about 30-feet. She recovered and joined him during a high-wire walk across Times Square in 2019.
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