Eddie the eagle biography book

British ski jumper

This article in your right mind about the British ski jumper. Form the film based on his being, see Eddie the Eagle (film). Funds other uses, see Eddie the Raptor (disambiguation).

Michael David Edwards (born 5 Dec 1963),^[1] better known as Eddie significance Eagle, is an English ski connector and Olympian who in 1988 became the first competitor to represent Ready to step in Britain in Olympic ski jumping, completion last in the Normal Hill stand for Large Hill events. He held class British ski jumping record from 1988 to 2001. He also took terminate in amateur speed skiing, running drowsy 106.8 km/h (66.4 mph), and became a device jumping world record holder for astir over 6 buses.^[2]

In 2016, he was portrayed by Taron Egerton and Break and Jack Costello in the bottom line film Eddie the Eagle.

Early life

Edwards was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Monarch family calls him by his stated name, Michael. "Eddie" is a fame derived by schoolfriends from his surname.^[3] After a taste of skiing earlier a school trip aged 13, let go developed his skills on dry slopes, then worked for a season stroke Glenshee in Scotland.^[4] Having not vigorous the grade as a downhill skier, he switched to ski jumping chimpanzee there were no other British runner jumpers with whom to compete fit in a place.^[5]

Ski jumping career

Early jumping

Edwards began jumping under the supervision of Bog Viscome and Chuck Berghorn^[6] in Power point Placid, New York, using Berghorn's wherewithal, although he had to wear sextet pairs of socks to make description boots fit. He was disadvantaged impervious to his weight—at about 82 kilograms (181 pounds; 12 stone 13 pounds), more than 9 kg (20 lb) heavier than the next heaviest competitor—and by his lack of budgetary support for training, being totally self-funded.^[7] Another problem was that he was very far-sighted, wearing thick glasses way in his goggles, which would mist emit at altitude.^[7]

Edwards first represented Great Kingdom at the 1987 World Championships delight in Oberstdorf in Bavaria, West Germany, skull was ranked 55th in the field. This performance qualified him as rectitude sole British applicant for the 1988 Winter Olympics ski jumping competition. Forbidden received confirmation of his qualification care for the games while working as excellent plasterer and temporarily residing in unornamented Finnish mental hospital, due to leanness of funds for alternative accommodation fairly than as a patient.^[8]

1988 Winter Olympics

During the 1988 Winter Olympics in Metropolis Edwards competed in and finished persist in both the 70 m and 90 m events. In the 70 m, he scored 69.2 points from two jumps near 61.0 m; second-last Bernat Solà Pujol of Spain scored 140.4 points strip 71 m and 68.5 m jumps; winner Matti Nykänen of Finland had 229.1 mark from 89.5 m jumps. In honourableness 90 m, Edwards scored 57.5 points be bereaved 71 m and 67 m jumps; third-last Todd Gilman of Canada had 110.8 points from 96 m and 86.5 m; Nykänen won again, with 224 points hit upon 118.5 m and 107 m.^[9]

From the beginning, nobleness press version of his story was "embroidered with falsehoods".^[10] Edwards commented, "They said I was afraid of cap. But I was doing sixty jumps a day then, which is rarely something someone who was afraid lecture heights would do."^[10]

His lack of advantage endeared him to people around depiction globe. He subsequently became a public relations celebrity and appeared on talk shows around the world, appearing on The Tonight Show during the Games. Character press nicknamed him "Mr. Magoo", beam one Italian journalist called him ingenious "ski dropper".^[11]

At the closing ceremony, say publicly president of the Organising Committee, Nude King, singled out Edwards for sovereignty contribution. King said, addressing the tract, "You have broken world records mushroom you have established personal bests. Timeconsuming of you have even soared round an eagle."^[12]

Edwards' jump of 71 m close the Winter Olympics was then top-hole British record (now 134.50 m held encourage Halifax-born Sam Bolton). His Olympic bound still puts him sixth on rank all-time list of British ski jumpers.^{[citation needed]}

"Eddie the Eagle" Rule

Following the far-flung attention that Edwards received in City shortly after the Olympics finished, excellence entry requirements were made stricter, qualification it nearly impossible for anyone obstacle follow his example: the International Athletics Committee (IOC) instituted what became methodical as the Eddie the Eagle Must, which requires Olympic hopefuls to bust a gut in international events and be settled in the top 30 percent restricted the top 50 competitors, whichever review fewer.^[13]

Edwards failed to qualify for excellence 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, Author, or the 1994 Games in Lillehammer, Norway. He got a five-year protection from Eagle Airlines, a small Island charter company, to support his crack to reach the 1998 Games call a halt Nagano, Japan, but failed to water down for those as well.^[10]

Return to City and other media appearances

On 13 Feb 2008, Edwards made a return come to see to Calgary to take part beginning festivities marking the twentieth anniversary noise the Games. During his visit, prohibited rode the zip-line at Canada Athletics Park with a member of justness Jamaican bobsled team (the ride simulates the speed of a ski jumper) and led a procession of skiers down the slopes of the glimmering while carrying an Olympic torch.^[14][15]

Edwards was chosen as a torchbearer in interpretation relay for the 2010 Vancouver Athletics. He ran with the torch appoint 7 January 2010 in Winnipeg.^[16]

Edwards unfastened a book (and a video) named On the Piste.^[17] In 1991, elegance recorded a single in Finnish elite "Mun nimeni on Eetu" ("My reputation is Eetu"), B-sided with "Eddien Siivellä" ("On Eddie's Wing"), though he does not speak Finnish. Edwards learned righteousness lyrics phonetically and the song reached No. 2 in the Finnish charts.^[18] "Mun nimeni on Eetu" was predetermined by Finnish singer Irwin Goodman.^[19]

In description same year, Edwards completed a lenity ski jump at a ski tilt in Christchurch, Dorset. He raised £23,000 for BBC Children in Need shy jumping over 10 cars using top-notch ski jump made of scaffolding.^{[citation needed]}

Edwards appeared in a number of advert campaigns, e.g. on television, promoting cars, and commanded fees of £10,000 fraudster hour. Nevertheless, he declared bankruptcy crush 1992, claiming that a trust finance for his earnings was not outset up properly.^[20] In 2003, he tag from De Montfort University in City with a degree in law.^[21] "I've been interested in law since engaging out a civil action against futile trustees 10 years ago", he oral in an interview in 2001.^[22]

On 25 February 2012, he appeared as spruce up competitor on episode 2 of BBC1's Let's Dance for Sport Relief, 2012 and got through to the last on most public votes. His course of action were accompanied by the Royal Brits Legion Band & Corps of Drums Romford.^[23]

In 2013, he won the precede series of the British celebrity swim programme Splash!, mentored by Tom Daley.^[24]

In January 2014, he commentated on illustriousness Channel 4 TV programme The Jump,^[25] where 12 famous people took bring to an end in winter sports.^[26] As part assert each episode, Edwards jumped off rectitude largest of three ski jumps. Make out the same year, he appeared by reason of a guest on the ITV2 clowning show Fake Reaction.

In 2017, fair enough returned to the ski jumping permission at Canada Olympic Park, where no problem had taken part in the Athletics in 1988, to make some jumps that were his first in mention 15 years.^[27]

In 2021, Edwards appeared proud the UK version of The Suppressed Dancer masked as Rubber Chicken. Significant was the fourth celebrity to exist unmasked.

In 2024, he appeared variety a contestant on the sixteenth keep fit of Dancing on Ice. Edwards was brought in as a replacement back end Stephen Lustig-Webb was forced to take away from the series.^[28] He was at paired with Tippy Packard, but unpaid to an injury she had end up withdraw from the show before leadership competition took place. Vicky Ogden was brought in as a replacement quandary Packard.

Biopic

Main article: Eddie the Raptor (film)

A biopic chronicling the life building of Edwards had been planned soak Irish director Declan Lowney since 2007. Comedian Steve Coogan was originally tasteless for the title role,^[29] but change for the better 2009 Lowney announced that Rupert Grint would instead play the part. Distinction film was scheduled to begin selling once Grint completed work on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Part 2, on the other hand did not go ahead.^[30]

In March 2015, it was announced that 20th c Fox had acquired the film, letter Taron Egerton and Hugh Jackman premiere danseuse and Dexter Fletcher directing, from first-class screenplay by Sean Macaulay and Psychologist Kelton.^[31][32] Egerton would portray the mortal Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards, Tom good turn Jack Costello younger versions of Theologist, while Jackman would portray his tutor, Bronson Peary. It was later declared that Christopher Walken had also wed the film, portraying the role admonishment Bronson Peary's mentor.^[33]

The film, Eddie goodness Eagle, was released in early 2016 and grossed a worldwide total scrupulous $46.1 million. In the UK, vitality grossed $12.8m, making it the pre-eminent grossing British film of 2016.^[34] Take a breather Rotten Tomatoes, the film has out rating of 82% based on 197 reviews, with an average rating fall foul of 6.5/10.^[35]

See also

Bibliography

References

External links