In April 2016 Clive Bailey set off to Switzerland with the Anana hot air balloon. He had been asked by the BBC to take Sir David Attenborough for a balloon flight above the Swiss Alps for the opening sequence for the new BBC series, Planet Earth II.
Clive has flown in the Swiss Alps for over 25 years and Chateau D’Oex is one of his favourite places to fly. Clive has also flown many celebrities such as Jamie Oliver and Ant and Dec, and is very experienced in working alongside film crews to produce films, news items and documentaries.
‘Flying Sir David at 12,000 feet over the Swiss Alps has to be the most amazing flight I have ever done,’ said Clive. ‘He is a true world hero as well as our national treasure, it was a great privilege to meet him and spend time with him, such a lovely man and amazingly fit at 90, we did have some laughs’.
You can see what he means on Sunday 6th November, BBC 1 at 8:00 pm when the first of 6 parts of Planet Earth II is shown.
You too can fly with Clive! Book your balloon flight here and true fans can book to fly in the same balloon that Clive flew Sir David Attenborough in – the Anana Balloon is available for exclusive flights for 4 – 6 people click here you can find out more about these flights.
“It’s a doddle,” Sir David, “You get in this laundry basket – it is perfect for the job because it is light and strong and pliable, so it doesn’t shatter when you land.
“When you get in, you start talking and suddenly realise you are 50ft up because there is no noise and no wind, so there is nothing to tell you that you are moving. Once you get up there you just sit there and think, ‘This is great’.”
He was not even worried about coming back down to Earth. “All hot air balloon landings are barely controlled catastrophes,” he laughs. “If you have a good pilot, it happens in about 30 seconds. I assure you it is not alarming and not dangerous.”
See the BBC trailer for the amazing programme here:
