Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards is infamous for being Britain’s biggest loser but the iconic ski jumper is out to prove there’s life in the old bird yet by winning Dancing On Ice at the grand age of 60.
Eddie, who finished last out of 73 jumpers at the 1988 Winter Olympics, said: “I’m the oldest person in the show by quite a margin. I guess I’m flying the flag for those aged 60 and want to show we are not on the scrap heap just yet.
“I want to show we can be just as fit and strong and agile as the 30-somethings.”
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Eddie got off to a flying start last week making his entrance on a giant eagle. He went on to top the leaderboard, alongside DJ Adele Roberts, with his performance of Bon Jovi’s classic Livin’ On A Pray.
The nation’s most notorious underdog became an instant firm favourite with ITV viewers who took to social media to brand him this year’s winner. And no one is more surprised than Eddie.
(Image: Popperfoto via Getty Images)
He told the Daily Star Sunday: “I can probably count on one hand the amount of times I’ve been skating over the last 50 years. When I started I was like Bambi on ice. I was just focussing on putting one skate in front of the other.”
Eddie’s top score of 27.5 was even more surprising after he joined the show as a late replacement for Gogglebox star Stephen Lustig-Webb, who broke his ankle.
Revealing he almost turned down the show he said: “At first I thought it was way too late because people had already started training.
“But I liked the fact that I was way behind everybody and had to catch up. I was amazed just how mentally tired I got when I started.
“The physical side I expected because my legs get quite sore but I wasn’t expecting to get mentally exhausted at all.”
(Image: PA)
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Plucky Eddie became a household name in 1988 due to finishing so far behind the rest of the competition in Calgary, Canada. The sport star’s performance was so poor the International Olympic Committee changed the qualification rules to stop amateurs competing.
His story was made into the Hollywood movie Eddie the Eagle in 2016, with Taron Egerton in the title role and Hugh Jackman as Edwards’ coach.
Eddie’s ski jumping skills didn’t win him any international titles. But he believes they could help him skate off with the Dancing On Ice trophy.
Eddie said: “I know how to cope with my fear. If I want to do a jump and try to do a full circle in the air, I will go for it. Whereas I think some of the others might think, ‘I’m not sure if I’ll do that’.
“I like to just throw myself into it. I want to do dangerous lifts like the headbanger. I think my partner (Vicky Ogden) will have to be a lot braver than I am because I’m the one lifting her at the end of the day.
“I just hope I don’t drop her.”
(Image: ITV)
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Eddie was the surprise winner of diving reality show, Splash!, back in 2013. He also competed as the Rubber Chicken in The Masked Dancer back in 2021.
He said: “When I did Splash!, I’d never really dived before. I amazed myself how I got on with that. I thought it’d be great just to get past the first round. I never thought I would win it.”
And he’s now ready to pull out all the stops to be crowned this year’s DOI winner.
He added: “The costume department can cover me in feathers if they want. Pink is my favourite colour. I love pink. If I wear something that looks silly and put a smile on people’s faces, then I’m up for that.
“They can stretch the boundaries and stretch their imagination. I just want to make things fun so they can do anything they want with me.”
Dancing On Ice continues on Sunday at 6.30pm on ITV.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
