High wire performer hit by pandemic 'training not to die'

The circus performer has been high wire walking for 20 years

A high wire circus performer whose livelihood has been crushed by the pandemic has said he spends his time "training not to die".

Daredevil Chris Bullzini, from Somerset, performs metres above the ground with no safety net.

With all his acts cancelled due to Covid-19, the artist still risks life and limb perfecting his trade.

A BBC documentary, Our Lives, which airs at 19:00 BST, follows his life.

A BBC documentary, Our Lives, which airs at 19:00 BST, follows Chris Bullzini's life

Mr Bullzini lives on a site in Somerset with his children where he practices wire walking

The film documents Mr Bullzini's life from 2019 to 2021 as he faced life in a pandemic.

Living on a site in Evercreech with his family, including his young daughter, he still performs despite there being no crowds watching.

He said: "Even if the world doesn't need a wire walker to perform for it right now, it's good for me to maintain my identity as a wire walker.

"It's so real and you're so alive when you're up there. I spend all of my time training not to die."

His Bullzini Family Circus shows were filmed during the pandemic

Mr Bullzini ran away from home and joined the circus as a teenager. He has since turned his love of street performance into a successful worldwide career that he trains for everyday.

"If you want to keep wire walking at a level that's high enough to be able to do the bigger, higher, longer walks and do more tricks, you need to train everyday," he added.

"I like to keep death in my mind, the more that you are aware that you're going to die, the better you live."

The documentary shows Mr Bullzini up on the wire as he stages a 230 metre (754 ft) length tightrope walk, 20 metres (65 ft) above Norwich city centre.

Chris Bullzini trains on his high wire everyday