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'''Eddie Edwards''' may refer to:
{{Short description|British ski jumper}}
*[[Eddie Edwards (American football)]] (born 1954), American football player
{{About|the British ski-jumper|the film based on his life|Eddie the Eagle (film)|other uses||}}
*[[Eddie Edwards (musician)]] (1899–1963), American jazz trombonist
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
*[[Eddie Edwards (tennis)]] (born 1956), South African tennis player
{{Use British English|date=September 2013}}
*"[[Eddie the Eagle]]" Edwards (born 1963), real name Michael Edwards, British ski jumper
{{Infobox skier
*[[Eddie Edwards (wrestler)]] (born 1983), American professional wrestler
| name = Eddie the Eagle
*Eddie Edwards (born 1968), American civil servant; see [[2018 United States House of Representatives elections in New Hampshire#eddie_edwards]]
| fullname = Michael Edwards
| caption = Michael Edwards riding a ski lift in [[Calgary]], [[Alberta]], [[Canada]] in March 2017
| nationality = {{GBR2}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|12|5|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Cheltenham]], England
| height = 1.73 m
| personalbest =
| seasons = [[1986–87 FIS Ski Jumping World Cup|1987]]–[[1988–89 FIS Ski Jumping World Cup|1989]]
| updated = 17 December 2018
}}

'''Michael "Eddie" Edwards''' (born 5 December 1963), better known as '''Eddie the Eagle''', is an English ski-jumper and Olympian who in 1988 became the first competitor since 1928 to [[Great Britain at the Olympics|represent Great Britain]] in [[ski jumping at the Winter Olympics|Olympic ski jumping]], finishing last in the [[Ski jumping at the 1988 Winter Olympics – Normal hill individual|Normal Hill]] and [[Ski jumping at the 1988 Winter Olympics – Large hill individual|Large Hill]] events. He held the [[British ski jumping records|British ski jumping record]] from 1988 to 2001. He also took part in amateur [[speed skiing]], running at {{convert|106.8|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}, and became a stunt jumping world record holder for jumping over 6 buses.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nyt.co.uk/eddiethe.htm |publisher=Now You're Talking |website=UK After Dinner Speakers and Motivational Speakers |title=Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards |access-date=9 February 2014 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120911064114/http://www.nyt.co.uk/eddiethe.htm |archive-date=11 September 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2016, he was portrayed by [[Taron Egerton]] and Tom and Jack Costello in the biographical film ''[[Eddie the Eagle (film)|Eddie the Eagle]]''.

==Background==
Edwards was born in [[Cheltenham]], [[Gloucestershire]]. His family calls him by his given name, Michael. "Eddie" is a nickname derived by schoolfriends from his surname.<ref>Edwards 2016, Chapter 2.</ref> After a taste of skiing on a school trip aged 13, he developed his skills on dry slopes, then worked for a season at [[Glenshee Ski Centre|Glenshee]] in Scotland.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/nostalgia/1886605/eddie-the-eagle-from-scavenging-bins-and-living-in-a-mental-asylum-to-working-at-glenshee/ |title=Eddie the Eagle: From scavenging bins and living in a mental asylum to working at Glenshee |first=Gayle |last=Ritchie |work=[[The Courier (Dundee)|The Courier]] |location=Dundee |date=15 January 2021 |access-date= 22 June 2021}}</ref> Having not made the grade as a downhill skier, he switched to ski jumping as there were no other British ski jumpers with whom to compete for a place.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug=capress-oly_2010_eagle-301120120&prov=capress&type=lgns |title=Calgary '88 icon Eddie the Eagle returns to carry 2010 Olympic torch |date=1 November 2009 |website=Yahoo! Sports Canada |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091103194116/https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug=capress-oly_2010_eagle-301120120&prov=capress&type=lgns |archive-date=3 November 2009}}</ref>

Edwards began jumping under the supervision of John Viscome and Chuck Berghorn<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/hitfix/eddie-the-eagles-screenwriter-picks-his-10-favorite-underdog-sports-films-of-all-time/|title='Eddie the Eagle's Screenwriter Picks His 10 Favorite Underdog Sports Films of All Time|last=Macaulay|first=Sean|date=25 February 2016|website=UPROXX|language=en-US|access-date=25 November 2019}}</ref> in [[Lake Placid, New York]], using Berghorn's equipment, although he had to wear six pairs of socks to make the boots fit. He was disadvantaged by his weight—at about 82&nbsp;kg (181&nbsp;lb, 12st 13lb), more than 9&nbsp;kg (20&nbsp;lb) heavier than the next heaviest competitor—and by his lack of financial support for training, being totally self-funded.<ref name="Independent 8Dec2008">{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/eddie-the-eagle-edwards-it-was-while-i-was-in-a-mental-hospital-i-heard-i-was-in-the-olympic-team-1056701.html |title=Eddie 'the Eagle' Edwards: 'It was while I was in a mental hospital I heard I was in the Olympic team' |first=Brian |last=Viner |work=[[The Independent]] |date=8 December 2008 |access-date=19 March 2016}}</ref> Another problem was that he was very [[Near-sightedness|nearsighted]], wearing thick glasses under his goggles, which would mist up at altitude.<ref name="Independent 8Dec2008"/>

Edwards first represented Great Britain at the [[FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 1987|1987 World Championships]] in [[Oberstdorf]] in [[Bavaria]], [[West Germany]], and was ranked 55th in the world. This performance qualified him as the sole British applicant for the [[Great Britain at the 1988 Winter Olympics#ski jumping|1988 Winter Olympics ski jumping]] competition. He received confirmation of his qualification for the games while working as a plasterer and temporarily residing in a Finnish mental hospital, due to lack of funds for alternative accommodation rather than as a patient.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SE_-VNTyFo Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards – Olympic legend] YouTube</ref>

Edwards' jump of 71m at Calgary in the Winter Olympics was then a British record (now 134.50m held by [[Halifax, West Yorkshire|Halifax]]-born [[Sam Bolton]]). His Olympic jump still puts him [[British ski jumping records|sixth on the all-time list of British ski jumpers]].

==1988 Winter Olympics==
During the [[1988 Winter Olympics]] in [[Calgary]], Edwards competed in and finished last in both the [[Ski jumping at the 1988 Winter Olympics – Normal hill individual|70&nbsp;m]] and [[Ski jumping at the 1988 Winter Olympics – Large hill individual|90&nbsp;m]] events. In the 70&nbsp;m, he scored 69.2 points from two jumps of 61.0 m; second-last [[Bernat Sola|Bernat Solà Pujol]] of Spain scored 140.4 points from 71&nbsp;m and 68.5&nbsp;m jumps; winner [[Matti Nykänen]] of Finland had 229.1 points from 89.5 m jumps. In the 90&nbsp;m, Edwards scored 57.5 points from 71 m and 67&nbsp;m jumps; second-last Todd Gilman of Canada had 110.8 points from 96&nbsp;m and 86.5&nbsp;m; Nykänen won again, with 224 points from 118.5&nbsp;m and 107&nbsp;m.<ref name=OfficialReport>{{cite web
| title = Calgary 1988 Official Report
| url = http://library.la84.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1988/orw1988.pdf#page=617
| pages = 597–605
| publisher = LA84 Foundation
| work = XV Olympic Winter Games Organizing Committee
| year = 1988
| access-date = 28 January 2014}}</ref>

From the beginning, the press version of his story was "embroidered with falsehoods".<ref name="Guardian" /> "They said I was afraid of heights. But I was doing sixty jumps a day then, which is hardly something someone who was afraid of heights would do."<ref name=Guardian>{{cite news |last=Jeffries |first=Stuart |date=3 September 2007 |title=Flying high |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2007/sep/03/sport.athletics |location=London |newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=4 September 2007}}</ref>

His lack of success endeared him to people around the globe. He subsequently became a media celebrity and appeared on talk shows around the world, appearing on ''[[The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson|The Tonight Show]]'' during the Games. The press nicknamed him "[[Mr. Magoo]]", and one Italian journalist called him a "ski dropper".<ref>{{cite news |title=Eddie 'the Eagle' Edwards wins over fans at 1988 Winter Olympics |url=http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/calgary-olympics-eddie-the-eagle-edwards |website=CBC Archives}}</ref>

At the closing ceremony, the president of the Organizing Committee, Frank King, singled out Edwards for his contribution. King said, looking at the competitors, "You have broken world records and you have established personal bests. Some of you have even soared like an eagle."<ref>{{cite news|date=29 February 1988 |title=Golden light extinguished, but memories will live on |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=348&dat=19880229&id=Y6Y0AAAAIBAJ&pg=6915,5828760|work=Rome News-Tribune (N.Y.)|agency=AP|author=Litke, James}}</ref>

==="Eddie the Eagle" Rule===
Following the widespread attention that Edwards received in Calgary shortly after the Olympics finished, the entry requirements were made stricter, making it nearly impossible for anyone to follow his example: the [[International Olympic Committee]] (IOC) instituted what became known as the Eddie the Eagle Rule, which requires Olympic hopefuls to compete in international events and be placed in the top 30% or the top 50 competitors, whichever is fewer.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/feb/04/reappraising-eddie-eagle-winter-olympics-ski-jumping|title=Reappraising Eddie 'the Eagle' Edwards|last=Pye|first=Steven|date=4 February 2014|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=6 September 2014}}</ref>

Edwards failed to qualify for the [[1992 Winter Olympics]] in [[Albertville]], [[France]], and the [[1994 Winter Olympics|1994 Games]] in [[Lillehammer]], [[Norway]]. He got a five-year sponsorship from Eagle Airlines, a small British charter company, to support his attempt to reach the [[1998 Winter Olympics|1998 Games]] in [[Nagano, Nagano|Nagano]], [[Japan]], but failed to qualify for those as well.<ref name=Guardian/>

==Return to Calgary and other media appearances==
On 13 February 2008, Edwards made a return visit to Calgary to take part in festivities marking the twentieth anniversary of the Games. During his visit, he rode the zip-line at [[Canada Olympic Park]] with a member of the [[Jamaica national bobsled team|Jamaican bobsled team]] (the ride simulates the speed of a ski-jumper) and led a procession of skiers down the slopes of the park while carrying an [[Olympic torch]].<ref>{{cite news |last=McIntyre |first=Doug |date=14 February 2008 |title=Golden Memories Fired Up! |url=http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Alberta/2008/02/14/4846186-sun.html |newspaper=Calgary Sun |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070623032604/http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Alberta/2008/02/14/4846186-sun.html |archive-date=23 June 2007 |access-date=14 February 2008}}</ref><ref>Zip-line ride: Global News Calgary (television broadcast), 13 February 2008</ref>

Edwards was chosen as a torchbearer in the relay for the [[2010 Winter Olympics|2010 Vancouver Olympics]]. He ran with the torch on 7 January 2010 in [[Winnipeg]].<ref>{{cite news|last=James Keller |date=1 November 2009 |title=Calgary '88's Eddie the Eagle returns to carry torch |url=http://www.ctvolympics.ca/torch/news/newsid=18611.html |work=[[CTV Television Network|CTV]] |agency=The Canadian Press he is also said to carry the torch for the 2018 games |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100130110625/http://www.ctvolympics.ca/torch/news/newsid%3D18611.html |archive-date=30 January 2010 |access-date=1 November 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Edwards released a book (and a video) called ''On the Piste''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crowe |first1=Dave |last2=Edward |first2=Eddie |date=1999 |title=On the Piste |location=London |publisher=Chameleon |isbn=0-233-99497-1}}</ref>
In 1991, he recorded a single in Finnish entitled "Mun nimeni on Eetu" ("My name is Eetu"), B-sided with "Eddien Siivellä" ("On Eddie's Wing") though he does not speak Finnish. Edwards learned the lyrics phonetically and the song reached no.2 in the Finnish charts.<ref>{{cite web|author=by iain martin &middot; 8 February 2019 |url=http://theskipodcast.com/podcast/episode-30-ski-touring-in-morocco-powder-technique-eddie-the-eagle-pt2/ |title=Episode 30: Skiing in Morocco, Powder Technique, Team GB Medals & Eddie The Eagle Pt2 – The Ski Podcast |website=Theskipodcast.com |date=8 February 2019 |access-date=22 May 2020}}</ref> The songs were written by Finnish singer [[Irwin Goodman]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Eddie-Edwards-Mun-Nimeni-On-Eetu-Eddien-Siivell%C3%A4/release/1411442 |title=Eddie Edwards - Mun Nimeni On Eetu / Eddien Siivellä (1991, Vinyl) |website=Discogs.com |access-date=22 May 2020}}</ref>

In the same year (1991), Edwards completed a charity ski jump at a ski slope in [[Christchurch, Dorset]]. He raised £23,000 for [[BBC Children in Need]] by jumping over 10 cars using a ski jump made of scaffolding.

Edwards appeared in a number of advertising campaigns, e.g. on television, promoting cars, and commanded fees of £10,000 an hour. Nevertheless, he declared bankruptcy in 1992, claiming that a trust fund for his earnings was not set up properly.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/fameandfortune/9089901/Eddie-the-Eagle-I-went-from-6000-a-year-to-10000-an-hour.html |title=Eddie the Eagle: 'I went from £6,000 a year to £10,000 an hour' |work=The Telegraph |date=19 February 2012}}</ref> In 2003, he graduated from [[De Montfort University]] in Leicester with a degree in law.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/leicestershire/3075531.stm |title=Eddie aims to be legal eagle |work=BBC News |date=17 July 2003}}</ref> "I've been interested in law since taking out a civil action against my trustees 10 years ago," he said in a 2001 interview.<ref>{{cite news |date=1 March 2001 |title=Take a look at me now |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/funny_old_game/1194090.stm |work=BBC Sport |access-date=1 May 2010}}</ref>

On 25 February 2012, he appeared as a competitor on episode 2 of [[BBC1]]'s ''[[Let's Dance for Sport Relief]], 2012'' and got through to the final on most public votes. His performances were accompanied by the [[Royal British Legion Band & Corps Of Drums Romford]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rblbandromford.org/index.php/achievements2.html |title=Royal British Legion Band & Corps of Drums Romford Achievements |website=Royal British Legion Band & Corps of Drums Romford}}</ref>

In 2013, he won the first series of the British celebrity diving programme ''[[Splash! (UK series 1)|Splash!]]'', mentored by [[Tom Daley]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s214/splash/news/a455904/splash-final-most-watched-saturday-night-show.html |title='Splash!' final most-watched Saturday night show |first=Paul |last=Millar |date=3 February 2013 |access-date=25 April 2018}}</ref>

In January 2014, he commentated on the [[Channel 4]] TV programme ''[[The Jump]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-jump |title=Channel 4's The Jump |website=Channel 4}}</ref> where 12 famous people took part in winter sports.<ref name="The Jump TV Program">{{cite web|last1=EDWARDS|first1=EDDIE|title=Eddie's Jump|url=http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-jump/videos/all/s1-ep1-eddies-jump/3110993408001|website=Channel 4}}</ref> As part of each episode, Edwards jumped off the largest of three ski jumps. In the same year, he appeared as a guest on the [[ITV2]] comedy show ''[[Fake Reaction]]''.
[[File:Eddie the Eagle in Calgary 2017-03-05.jpg|thumb|Edwards prior to his first jumps in 15 years at the site of the [[1988 Winter Olympics|1988 Winter Olympics.]]]]
In 2017, he returned to the ski jumping facilities at [[Canada Olympic Park]], where he had taken part in the Olympics in 1988, to make some jumps that were his first in over 15 years.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/06/eddie-the-eagle-edwards-ski-jumper-calgary-olympics|title=Eddie 'the Eagle' soars again: ski jumper returns 30 years after Calgary Olympics|first=Ashifa|last=Kassam|date=6 March 2017|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref>

In 2021, Edwards appeared on the UK version of ''[[The Masked Dancer (British TV series)|The Masked Dancer]]'' masked as Rubber Chicken. He was the fourth celebrity to be unmasked.

==Biopic==
{{Main|Eddie the Eagle (film)}}
A biopic chronicling the life story of Edwards had been planned by Irish director [[Declan Lowney]] since 2007. Comedian [[Steve Coogan]] was originally chosen for the title role,<ref>{{cite news |date=8 August 2007 |title=Coogan to play Eddie 'The Eagle' |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6937217.stm |work=BBC News |access-date=8 August 2007}}</ref> but in 2009 Lowney announced that [[Rupert Grint]] would instead play the part. The film was scheduled to begin production once Grint completed work on ''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1]]'' and ''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2|Part 2]]'', but did not go ahead.<ref name=Sweeney>{{cite news |last=Sweeney |first=Ken |date=22 November 2009 |title=The Diary: Irish director makes leap of faith in casting for 'Eagle' biopic |url=http://www.tribune.ie/article/2009/nov/22/the-diary-ken-sweeney/ |location=Dublin, Ireland |newspaper=Sunday Tribune |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100217044824/http://www.tribune.ie/article/2009/nov/22/the-diary-ken-sweeney/ |archive-date=17 February 2010}}</ref>

In March 2015, it was announced that [[20th Century Fox]] had acquired the film, with [[Taron Egerton]] and [[Hugh Jackman]] starring and [[Dexter Fletcher]] directing, from a screenplay by Sean Macaulay and Simon Kelton.<ref name="auto2">{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/eddie-eagle-sundance-review-859730|title='Eddie The Eagle' Sundance Review|last=DeFore|first=John|date=13 March 2015|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=25 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.foxmovies.com/movies/eddie-the-eagle|title=Eddie the Eagle {{!}} Coming to theaters on Feb 26th, 2016|website=Eddie The Eagle {{!}} 20th Century Fox|access-date=1 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Fletcher|first=Dexter|title=Eddie the Eagle|date=26 February 2016|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1083452/|access-date=1 April 2016}}</ref> Egerton would portray the adult Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards, Tom and Jack Costello younger versions of Edwards, while Jackman would portray his coach, Bronson Peary. It was later announced that [[Christopher Walken]] had also joined the film, portraying the role of Bronson Peary's mentor.<ref name="auto1">{{cite web|author=Anthony D&#039;Alessandro |url=https://deadline.com/2015/03/christopher-walken-kevin-spacey-nine-lives-eddie-the-eagle-hugh-jackman-1201402220/ |title=Christopher Walken Joins Movies 'Nine Lives' & 'Eddie The Eagle' |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=31 March 2015 |access-date=24 April 2015}}</ref>

The film, ''[[Eddie the Eagle (film)|Eddie the Eagle]]'', was released in early 2016 and grossed a worldwide total of $46.1 million. In the UK, it grossed $12.8m making it the highest grossing British film of 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=eddietheeagle.htm|title=Eddie the Eagle (2016)|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|date=23 October 2020}}</ref> On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film has a rating of 82% based on 197 reviews, with an average rating of 6.5/10.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/eddie_the_eagle/ |title= Eddie the Eagle (2016) |website=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=21 June 2016}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Ed Edwards]], advertising executive and filmmaker
* [[Eric Moussambani]]: Eric "the Eel", another famously unlikely Olympian
*[[Edward Edwards (disambiguation)]]
* [[Philip Boit]]
*[[Edwin Edwards (disambiguation)]]
* [[Trevor Misipeka]]
* [[Vinko Bogataj]]
* [[Steven Bradbury]]
* [[Elizabeth Swaney]]

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book|last=Edwards|first=Eddie|title=Eddie the Eagle: My Story|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e76lCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT12|year=2016|publisher=Graymalkin Media|isbn=9781631680649}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{sports links}}
* {{Official website|http://eddie-the-eagle.co.uk}}
* {{IMDb name|1638040}}
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/content/articles/2008/02/13/eddie_the_eagle_feature.shtml BBC Gloucestershire interview with Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards] February 2008
* [http://www.gordonpoole.com/talent/eddie-the-eagle-edwards/ Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards Speaking Profile and Video]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuOJkYWU5AM Eddie The Eagle 1991 Charity Ski Jump]

{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Eddie the Eagle}}
{{hndis|Edwards, Eddie}}
[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Alumni of De Montfort University]]
[[Category:English non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:English pop singers]]
[[Category:English male ski jumpers]]
[[Category:Musicians from Gloucestershire]]
[[Category:Olympic ski jumpers of Great Britain]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Cheltenham]]
[[Category:Ski jumpers at the 1988 Winter Olympics]]
[[Category:English male non-fiction writers]]

Latest revision as of 14:35, 17 April 2024

Eddie Edwards may refer to:

See also

[edit]
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