Eddie the Eagle's story set to be played out at Cheltenham's Everyman Theatre
FOR Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards it's like stepping back in time.
In 1988 he stepped out onto the ski slopes of Calgary for the winter Olympics wearing milk bottle glasses and six pairs of socks inside hand-me-down ski boots.
Fearlessly he took a huge leap of faith. And despite being dubbed Britain's 'biggest loser' he won the hearts of the nation.
Roll on a quarter of a century and he's back in the spotlight and once again making waves.
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Barely a week ago the Cheltenham-born Eagle landed the title of celebrity diving champion in the nation's guilty TV pleasure, Splash! And he admits that there are strong comparisons between Splash! and Calgary.
"It definitely raised my profile," he told The Buzz. "People are stopping me in the street, asking for photographs and autographs. It's like being in Calgary 25 years ago.
"It has been fantastic. I'm now getting enquiries about PR and from charities and I've had reality TV show offers and things like that.
"I've been offered all kind of things in Germany, Holland, Canada, America."
But before he had even taken to the diving board, the 49-year-old had been approached for a new project which would chronicle his life.
And with his agreement, Fly Eddie Fly! was put into full swing and arrives at the Everyman Theatre next Tuesday.
"They approached me over a year ago and we sat down to go over my story," he says.
"They said they were going to do it in February and when I did Splash! it was the perfect springboard really, it couldn't have gone any better in terms of timing.
"I just hope the play is going to be a success and I'm sure it will be, it's very funny and very close to my life. I'm looking forward to my mum and dad coming to watch it and I think it will be quite a surreal experience to watch somebody playing me."
Eddie's story is quite remarkable. He took up the sport at the age of 13 following a school ski trip. Training sessions in Gloucester followed and skiing became a bit of an obsession.
"I loved it and I'm just as excited to ski now as I was when I was 13,"he says.
For Eddie, just getting to the Olympic Games represented a landmark moment in his life.
"As far as I was concerned I'd won the gold medal by just getting there. I was Britain's first ever jumper and went against all the odds with no money, no trainer and borrowed equipment.
"After that I had loads of marriage proposals and people would ask me to pop into their house.
"I had never had any attention like that before so it was quite funny."
The play runs from Tuesday until Saturday. Tickets cost from £9. Call 01242 572573.
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