ABC announced today that King of the Highwire Nik Wallenda and his sister, Lijana, seventh-generation members of the Wallenda family circus troupe, will return to the highwire for a never-before-attempted walk of approximately 1,300 feet long and 25 stories above street level, across New York City’s iconic Times Square, live on SUNDAY, JUNE 23 (8:00-10:00 p.m. EDT).

“Highwire Live in Times Square with Nik Wallenda” will air as a live two-hour televised event. The walk marks Lijana Wallenda’s first highwire walk since the 2017 accident where she, along with four others, tragically fell 30 feet off a tightrope during a rehearsal.

The 1,300-foot-long walk will take place 25 stories high between the famed 1 Times Square and 2 Times Square. Nik and Lijana will start from opposite ends of the wire, meet and cross in the middle of Times Square, then continue to finish opposite of where they started. The must-see live event will also feature video footage of the Wallendas’ history, preparation and exclusive interviews.

“It’s hard enough crossing Times Square on the ground, try it 25 stories up,” said Karey Burke, president, ABC Entertainment. “ABC is the destination for big live events that become cultural moments and Nik and Lijana will surely create one as they complete this never-before-attempted walk.”

“In 1928, my family performed at Madison Square Garden in the City of Dreams for the first time in the USA,” said Nik Wallenda. “And on June 23, I have the great opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream of my own by paying homage to that performance as we return for my most exhilarating feat yet. I am beyond excited to be able to walk with my sister, Lijana, as she overcomes near-death injuries and continues the Wallenda tradition of never giving up!”

Nik Wallenda is the seventh-generation of the Great Wallendas who trace their roots back over 200 years to the Austro-Hungarian empire. For Nik, every walk is an expression of honor to his great grandfather, the legendary Karl Wallenda who brought the Wallendas to America from Germany to perform in The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Nik’s previous live televised events include two hugely successful television events: walking across Niagara Falls in June 2012 and the Grand Canyon in June 2013. He holds 10 Guinness World Records.

Lijana Wallenda was one of five performers who fell off a highwire tightrope while attempting an eight-person pyramid stunt during a Circus Sarasota rehearsal in 2017. Lijana was severely injured and has been recovering ever since. The Times Square walk will be the first time she’s gotten back on the tightrope for a performance since her accident.

“Highwire Live in Times Square with Nik Wallenda” is produced by dick clark productions. Gretchen Eisele, Mark Bracco, Linda Gierahn, David Simone, Winston Simone, Shelley Ross and Nik Wallenda are executive producers.

About ABC Entertainment

ABC Entertainment airs compelling programming across all day parts, including series “A Million Little Things,” “Bless This Mess,” “The Conners,” “The Rookie,” “Schooled,” “Single Parents” and the upcoming “Grand Hotel” and “Reef Break.”

The ABC Television Network is also home to “Grey’s Anatomy,” the longest-running medical drama in prime-time television; riveting dramas “The Good Doctor,” “How to Get Away with Murder,” “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” and “Station 19”; the Emmy® Award-winning “Modern Family” and trailblazing comedy favorites “American Housewife,” “black-ish,” “Fresh Off the Boat” and “The Goldbergs”; hit game shows “The $100,000 Pyramid,” “Celebrity Family Feud,” “Match Game” and “To Tell the Truth”; star-making sensation “American Idol”; reality phenomenon “Shark Tank”; “The Bachelor” franchise; long-running hits “Dancing with the Stars” and “America’s Funniest Home Videos”; “General Hospital,” which has aired for more than 55 years on the network; and late-night talk show “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” The network also boasts some of television’s most prestigious awards shows, including “The Oscars®,” “The CMA Awards” and the “American Music Awards.”

ABC’s multiplatform business initiative also allows viewers to watch current episodes of their favorite ABC shows anytime, anywhere on ABC.com and the ABC app for desktop, smartphone, tablet or connected TV devices.

About dick clark productions

dick clark productions (dcp) is the world’s largest producer and proprietor of televised live event entertainment programming with the “Academy of Country Music Awards,” “American Music Awards,” “Billboard Music Awards,” “Golden Globe Awards,” “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest” and the “Streamy Awards.”

Weekly television programming includes “So You Think You Can Dance” from 19 Entertainment and dcp. dcp also owns one of the world’s most unique and extensive entertainment archive libraries with over 60 years of award-winning shows, historic programs, specials, performances and legendary programming.

dcp is a division of Valence Media, a diversified media company with divisions and strategic investments in premium television, wide release film, specialty film, live events and digital media.