An Evening With Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards

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Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards

Eddie Edwards is a British ski jumping champion who was the first (and only) competitor to represent Great Britain at the Winter Olympics in Ski Jumping. He became Britain's 1st and only Olympic ski jumper and was fondly re-christened "Eddie the Eagle".

Then in 1988 he travelled to Calgary and represented Britain in the Winter Olympics. As the guy who came last he got more publicity than the Gold Medal winner and Eddie's heroic Olympic efforts thrust him into the limelight. This endeared him to the public and made him a household name. He was known for wearing bottle top glasses which steamed up when he ski-jumped.

Eddie gained his Eagle nickname after the International Olympics Committee President, Juan Antonio Samaranch, referenced him during the closing ceremony: 'At Calgary people set new goals, created new world records and some even flew like an eagle'.

Eddie still holds the British Olympic record for ski jumping at 71 metres; his personal best is currently 119.5 metres. He holds the world record for stunt jumping (10 cars/6 buses) and was ranked world number 9 at amateur speed skiing (106.8mph).

Although he is remembered for coming last Eddie always says that just getting to the Olympics was his Gold Medal which epitomises the true Olympic Spirit.

Eddie has made numerous television and radio appearances including 'The Alan Tichmarsh Show', 'Britain's Brightest', Celebrity Eggheads' 'Pointless Celebrities', 'The One Show', 'Celebrity Best Dish'.

In 2011 he won BBC1's 'Celebrity Wipeout' and in February 2013 was the first winner of ITV1's brand new diving show 'Splash!'.

He appears regularly as an after dinner speaker on P & O Cruises.

'Eddie The Eagle' film, based on Eddie's life was released in April 2016, starring Hugh Jackman and Taron Egerton.