What is the Eddie the Eagle net worth? Will be a popular question at the moment as the former Olympic ski jumper has been signed up to appear on ITV’s Dancing On Ice 2024. So, just what happened to Michael Edwards (real name) after shooting to fame when representing Great Britain at the 1988 Winter Olympics?
Eddie The Eagle Net Worth Of £500,000 Having Been Declared Bankrupt In 1992
Eddie The Eagles net worth has been on the rise ever since Michael Edwards became a household name when finishing last as a Great Britain ski jumper at the 1988 Winter Olympics, when, at the time, was ranked 55th in the world.
With Great Britain’s winter Olympics team more famed for having downhill skiers, the Michael Edwards performance at Calgary, Canada made him an overnight star despite not winning a medal and coming a long last in the event.
This led to the British media and public giving him the nickname ‘Eddie The Eagle’.
Eddie finished last in both the 70-meter and 90-meter events, but also become the first British jumper to appear at the Olympics since 1929.
However, Eddie The Eagle stole the hearts of UK sporting fans and on his return to the country became an instant success. Appearing on chat shows and making TV appearances left right and centre.
Which led Michael Edwards to say that he “must have banked £1.5m easily over the next three or four years.” Adding that during this period he was making £10,000 for an hour’s work.
Eddie The Eagle Made £65k In A Day
Plus Edwards claimed to make up to £65,000 in a single day when he was hot property and over £700,000 during that first year.
“I opened a fun ride in Alton Towers, then I was flown to London to open a sports shop before being taken to film a women’s own commercial. Then I did a nightclub promotion in the evening.”
Before Edwards hit fame he was a plasterer earning around £7,000 a year.
However, just four years later, with Michael Edwards claiming his fund was mismanaged, he was declared bankrupt in 1992.
He said – ”I was forced to file for bankruptcy because the fund was mismanaged. I sued, and the matter was settled out of court at the 11th hour.”
Eddie The Eagle Endorsements
Eddie The Eagles also earned money writing a book on his life called ‘On The Piste’ and in 2014 also commentated on the TV series called ‘The Jump’ which focused on celebrities ski-jumping.
While later in his life there was a Hollywood film made about his story which saw the Eddie The Eagle net worth rise by another £180,000.
However, the royalties Michael Edwards received from the movie ‘Eddie The Eagle’ were mainly handed over to his ex-wife and daughters after getting divorced. He reported that after the film up to 85% of his £180,000 royalties were wiped out.
Michael Edwards currently earns money from regular speaking roles and was also part of the Aldi Winter Olympics advertising campaign and with the next Olympics in 2024 we can expect Eddie The Eagle to cash-in again here.
In 2017 Eddie returned to a ski jump at the Canada Olympic Park- saying he hadn’t jumped in a long, long time, for over 20 years back in 1997 was the last time.
Therefore, Eddie The Eagle has an estimated net worth of £500,000 (Source: www.famouspeopletoday.com)
Eddie The Eagle Film
Hollywood came knocking on Eddie The Eagle’s door in 2016 to make a sport comedy-drama film based on Michael Edwards’ life.
The film stared Hugh Jackman with Taron Egerton cast at Eddie and portrayed him in an uncanny resemblance.
The Eddie The Eagle film, which was directed by Dexter Letcher, grossed over $46.1 million worldwide. It also starred Jim Broadbent, Iris Berben and Christopher Walken.
Plus, of course Taron Egerton, who played Eddie. Egerton had never skied before and had to learn on the slopes in Germany prior to filming.
Eddie said about the film –”I was thrilled to have a film made about my life. I thought they did a fantastic job.”
Eddie The Eagle To Appear On Dancing On Ice 2024
It was also announced in early 2024 that Eddie The Eagle will feature in series 16 of Dancing On Ice.
Edwards was drafted in to replace Gogglebox’s Stephen Lustig-Webb, who broke his ankle in training.
It’s not known how much Eddie The Eagle will get for appearing on Dancing On Ice. However, the best UK betting sites have him as one of the outsiders.
So, despite his links with winter sports, he might not be on the hit ITV skating show for long. Edwards will be the oldest Dancing On Ice contestant in 2024 at 60 years-old.
Eddie will appear on the hit show with other sporting stars Greg Rutherford and retired boxer Ricky Hatton.
Eddie The Eagle: His Later Life
In 1998, Eagle Airlines decided to sponsor Eddie The Eagle in an attempt to qualify for the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano. However, he failed to reach the event.
While in 2003 Eddie took a degree in law and graduated from De Montfort University in Leicester.
Eddie The Eagle Singing Career
Eddie The Eagle is also known for not having a bad singing voice. In 1991, three years after his famous Calgary ski jump, his song “Mun nimeni on Eetu” peaked at number 2 in the Finnish Singles Charts.
Plus, Edwards also appeared on the popular ITV show The Masked Singer in 2021, when performing as a Rubber Chicken.
What Is Eddie The Eagle’s Real Name?
Eddie The Eagle’s real name is Michael David Edwards and was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.
As well as his famous ‘Eddie The Eagle’ nickname, Edwards has also been given many other labels in the past.
These include Unsteady Eddie, Abominable Snowman, Mr. Magoo and Inspector Clouseau on Skis.
Eddie The Eagle Date Of Birth: How Old Is Michael Edwards?
Eddie The Eagle’s date of birth is 5th December 1963, making him 60 years-old.
Who Is Eddie The Eagle’s Wife and Does He Have Any Children?
Eddie The Eagle married Samantha Morton in June 2003. However, in 2014 Morton broke up with Edwards and they divorced in 2016.
Saying – ”Losing my marriage and my family life hurts more than anything that ever happened to me in ski-jumping.”
Edwards and Morton had two children together – daughters Ottilie and Honey.
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