An Evening with Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards

Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards is Great Britain’s first Olympic Ski Jumper.

Eddie was ranked 55th in the world which qualified him as the only GB applicant for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. With the UK firmly backing the plasterer from Gloucestershire, Eddie took to the slopes followed by a whirlwind of international press and media. Eddie competed in the 70m and 90m jump events, but unfortunately came last in both events.

Although he did not win an Olympic medal, he did win a place in the hearts of spectators all around the globe. This was ultimately due to his lack of success, but more importantly his pure determination and ‘have a go’ attitude.

During the Winter Games closing ceremony, the president of the Organizing Committee, Frank King, singled out Edwards for his contribution: “At these Games, some competitors have won gold, some have broken records, and some of you have even soared like an eagle”

A major feature film based on Eddie’s inspirational life story has been released worldwide – ‘Eddie The Eagle‘, featuring Hugh Jackman and Taron Egerton.

Eddie's talk will be an inspiration to all people on how to succeed against all the odds. Eddie is perhaps the best example of a heroic failure, whose perseverance and achievement was – it should be stated – gained without any funding. For that, and for many other reasons, Eddie is more hero than failure, and his story continues to win over audiences. So learn how this particular Eagle landed on his feet in the end, even if it wasn't in quite the same style as his sporting rivals.