Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards is a unique British sporting hero with an incredible story to tell. The world’s ninth-fastest amateur downhill speed skier went on to become Great Britain’s first Olympic (self-taught!) Ski-Jumper, who missed out on medals by some distance, but won the hearts of the nation with his plucky, positive attitude and down-to-earth persona and emerged as a star of the Calgary ’88 Winter Olympics, returning to Britain as an overnight sporting celebrity.
In Try Hard, Eddie talks through his incredible life-journey; from self-learning ski-jumping and being shunned by the sporting establishment, to the extensive surgery to rebuild his face and body following years of spectacular crashes on the snow as he set out to break world-records in stunt jumping (10 cars & six buses) and speed-skiing (106.8mph); from bankruptcy through trustees’ mismanagement, to gaining a Law degree, and even how he became a most unlikely pop-star in Finland, above all, what will shine through is the steely resilience of a fearless man determined to overcome huge sporting and life hurdles.
This is a reserved seated event which takes place in the Robert Bolt Theatre.
Duration: 110mins, including 20min interval.
