Eddie the Eagle, whose real name is Michael Edwards, is a former British ski jumper who rose to fame at the 1988 Calgary Olympics. He became the first Briton to compete in ski jumping at an Olympic Winter Games, despite finishing last in the 70m and 90m events. After the Olympics, he became a celebrity and was known for his determination to represent his country without any form of funding.

In 1992, Edwards entered involuntary bankruptcy due to an unpaid tax bill, which he attributed to mismanagement of those who ran a trust fund on his behalf. Despite this, he continued to make appearances and take on odd jobs, such as opening shopping centers, judging beauty pageants, and getting shot out of circus cannons.

Edwards Olympic journey continued after the 1988 Games. In 2008, he returned to Calgary to mark the 20th anniversary of the Games, riding a zipline at the Canada Olympic Park with a member of the Jamaican bobsled team. In 2016, a movie about his career titled "Eddie the Eagle" was released, starring Hugh Jackman, Christopher Walken, and Taron Egerton as Edwards.

Currently, Edwards lives quietly in the South Cotswolds village of Woodchester, which is 14 miles from his native Cheltenham. After retiring from ski jumping, he became a fully qualified ski instructor and still works as a ski commentator for programs such as ITVs "The Jump".