Emergency Dancing on Ice signing REVEALED as British sporting legend replaces Gogglebox’s Stephen
WINTER sports legend Eddie the Eagle has been signed as an emergency replacement for Dancing on Ice.
The Olympian, who in 1988 became the first ever competitor to represent Team GB in ski jumping, has swapped his skis for skates to compete on the ITV rink.
Eddie, 59, is a last minute signing after Gogglebox favourite Stephen Lustig-Webb crashed out with a broken ankle at the weekend.
But Eddie - real name Michael Edwards - is bound to be a little steadier on his feet.
A TV source said: “Eddie is a brilliant signing for Dancing on Ice, he’s known to all and is remembered so fondly as Britain’s ski jump pioneer.
“It’s fair to say he’s probably more at home on the ice than others but he’s now nudging sixty, so who knows , he could be more feeble than Eagle.”
Eddie’s incredible story brought him a whole new generation of fans when Taron Egerton played him in a 2016 biographical film.
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He was working as a plasterer when he first qualified for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada as the sole British contender for the ski jump and was forced to take up accommodation in a mental hospital due to lack of funds.
Whilst he finished last in both the 70m and 90m events at the games, he still set a British record at 71m - which is now held by Sam Bolton, at 134.5m.
Eddie is still sixth on the all-time list of Brit ski jumpers, though.
Following the widespread attention he received in Calgary, the entry requirements were made stricter, making it nearly impossible for anyone to follow his example.
The International Olympic Committee 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 percent or the top 50 competitors, whichever is fewer.
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Consequently, Eddie failed to qualify for the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France but went on to become a global personality and even had hit pop records.
It comes after Channel 4 star Stephen, 50, was forced to retire from the competition - set to begin in January - after breaking his ankle in a “freak accident”.
Elsewhere the line-up includes fellow former Olympian Greg Rutherford and actor Claire Sweeney.
