Tom Hiddleston says he would not attempt Everest as Tenzing film arrives
Tom Hiddleston and Gendun Phuntsok discuss the Everest film Tenzing, the Sherpa perspective and why Hiddleston would not attempt the climb.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Tom Hiddleston has said he would not try to climb Mount Everest, saying it would be irresponsible as a father, as he promoted a new film about the first ascent.
The Apple TV film Tenzing tells the story of Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary, who reached the 29,000ft summit in 1953. Hiddleston plays Hillary, while Tibetan actor Gendun Phuntsok takes the title role. In the film, the pair are shown achieving the historic feat. The production trekked to base camp and filmed near Everest, using real snow, ice and crevasses. Hiddleston said no imagination was required because they were there for real, and audiences can sense when actors are in a real place.
The story also looks at Tenzing's life after the climb. In the years that followed, he began teaching aspiring climbers about the physical mountain and its spiritual influence. A mountaineering institute and school were set up. Gendun Phuntsok, who grew up in Tibet, said people from different backgrounds bring their own cultures and minds to the mountain. He said many Europeans think a mountain is just a mountain, while Sherpa people see it as a goddess, and that visitors must respect local culture.
Hillary initially received most of the credit for the 1953 ascent, but he always described the achievement as a team effort with his Nepalese partner. A documentary about reaching the peak in May 1953 was released a few months later and was nominated for an Oscar.
Asked whether they would attempt the summit, Hiddleston said he would have done so in his youth and had always been captivated by Everest. As a father, he said, it would be irresponsible. He added that experience and strength do not guarantee safety. Gendun Phuntsok said he hoped one day to try Everest or climb higher, but did not believe he could reach the summit. Since Norgay and Hillary made the first ascent, more than 7,000 people have followed in their footsteps.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| A film documenting the May 1953 ascent came out months later and earned an Oscar nomination. | Reported by ITV |
| Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of Everest in 1953. | |
| Tenzing later taught aspiring climbers about Everest's physical demands and spiritual significance. | Reported by ITV |
| The film Tenzing focuses on Sherpa Tenzing Norgay's role in the story of the first Everest summit and stars Tom Hiddleston. | |
| The film Tenzing is set to be released on Apple TV this Friday. | |
| Tom Hiddleston said he would not attempt to climb Everest. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
ITV1 - ITV Lunchtime News treated the item as a light closing entertainment segment, led by the question of whether the actors would attempt Everest. It still found room for the film's Sherpa perspective, including Tenzing's mountaineering school and Genden's explanation of the mountain's spiritual meaning. The tone was warm and personal, with Hiddleston's family reasons given prominence.
- “In my youth, I think I would have I've always been captivated by Everest Honestly as a father it would be irresponsible.”
- “Here for the Sherpa people it's mountain just only a mountain not Mountains for them like a goddess”
- “I hope one day I can one day I can try to climb Mount Everest or even just more higher. I Don't believe I can do the summit”
The evening bulletin placed the story after a maritime archaeology item and framed it as a historical team effort, noting Hillary got the headlines while Tenzing's role was central. It gave more context than the lunchtime report, including the film's Oscar-nominated documentary predecessor and the mountaineering school. The package also carried a longer version of Genden's cultural explanation and Hiddleston's reasons for not climbing.
- “It was 1953, and Sir Edmund Hillary grabbed the headlines. But he always said that conquering Everest was a true team effort with his Nepalese partner, Tenzing Norgay.”
- “Wherever you come from, you have to respect the local culture.”
- “In my youth, I think I would have. I've always been captivated by Everest. Honestly, as a father, it would be irresponsible.”
The late bulletin used the story as a brief entertainment item, with a short package and an intro that said neither actor fancied climbing Everest. It focused on the production's real-location filming and Tenzing's later teaching role, but cut much of the interview material about family, risk and Sherpa spirituality. It did not include the 7,000 climbers figure or the full cultural explanation seen in earlier bulletins.
- “neither fancy climbing to the top of the world themselves, though Tom Hiddleston told us he might have given it a go when he was younger”
- “no imagination required we were there for real, real snow real ice, real crevasses”
- “in the years that followed Tenzing began teaching aspiring climbers about the physical mountain and its spiritual influence”
Broadcast Timeline
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