Welsh Tightrope Walker Calls Take That Circus Tour an 'Honour' of a Lifetime

Welsh Daredevil Takes Centre Stage at Take That's Circus Live Revival

When Take That decided to resurrect their legendary Circus Live tour after 17 years, they needed more than just music to fill the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. Enter Ellis Grover — a Carmarthen-born tightrope walker who describes performing alongside the iconic British band as nothing short of an honour.

Walking the Wire Six Metres Above the Crowd

Grover, who has spent 15 years mastering the art of high wire walking, traverses a tightrope stretched between two stages with a stomach-dropping six-metre (19ft) void beneath him — and he does it completely unstrapped. His inclusion in the show is part of Take That's ambitious reimagining of their beloved Circus Live concept, which also features acrobats, ringmasters, and even a mechanical elephant.

"It is just a process of trust really. We've all got this ability in us," Grover told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, speaking ahead of the group's Cardiff performance on Tuesday.

Ever the comedian, he also revealed his attempts to bring a certain bandmember into the fold. "Gary [Barlow] is a lovely chap, I've been trying to get him a tightrope," he quipped.

A Reunion 17 Years in the Making

Take That — comprised of Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, and Howard Donald — originally brought the Circus Live spectacle to Wales back in 2009, performing three consecutive nights at what was then known as the Millennium Stadium. The tour left such a lasting impression on the trio that they spent years discussing a potential return.

"The Circus tour was one of our favourite experiences as a band and, in the years since, we've talked many times about how much we'd love to do it again one day," the group previously stated.

That day has finally arrived. The Cardiff show marks a one-night-only Welsh engagement on the rebooted tour, which serves as a warm-up of sorts ahead of the band's highly anticipated 10th studio album, expected to drop towards the end of 2026.

On the Road and Feeling It

By the time the tour rolled into Cardiff, it had already made stops in Southampton, Sunderland, Coventry, and Glasgow. Grover admitted the relentless schedule had taken its toll.

"I'm quite tired after a month on the road," he confessed, though he was quick to add with a laugh, "but the knees are feeling fine."

Keeping his body in peak condition is a non-negotiable part of the job. Grover credits an extensive routine of warm-ups, stretching, and strategic rest periods for keeping him performance-ready night after night. "It's all about body maintenance," he explained.

He also shared one slightly unexpected pre-show ritual: eating a full meal before stepping onto the wire. "I do like to have a full stomach on a tightrope — it's less distractions, you know," he said.

A Career Built on Beautiful Risk

As one of only a handful of professional high wire walkers currently active in the UK, Grover acknowledged that opportunities like this don't come along often. "It just came across my desk, so to speak," he said of how he landed the role.

Once the Circus Live tour wraps up, Grover has his sights set on a new kind of canvas. He hopes to take his craft into expansive natural environments, blending physical daring with breathtaking scenery.

"I adore the art form for its ability to create beautiful pictures out of beautiful stages," he said. "As I progress, I want to do more and more wire walks in large natural spaces."

For now, though, all eyes — and nerves — are focused firmly on Cardiff.