Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards has revealed his first Dancing On Ice skating partner Tippy Packard injured her knee after they “clashed” during rehearsals.
The ski jumper and former Olympian, 60, was original paired with the American professional skater before she had to pull out due to the injury, with figure skater Vicky Ogden stepping in to replace her.
Edwards also joined the competition’s line-up late after he filled in for former Gogglebox star Stephen Lustig-Webb, who withdrew in October after breaking his left ankle during ice-skating training.
It's been an eventful start to Eddie The Eagle's #DancingonIce journey ⛸️ pic.twitter.com/2Gmdh5FIAV
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) January 11, 2024
Appearing on Good Morning Britain on Thursday, he explained: “We (had) a slight miscommunication and our skates clashed and we fell over and she damaged her knee.
“We thought it was just going to be a couple of days off the ice but it’s turned out to be like a month off the ice and then they brought in a replacement and we carried on with Vicki Ogden, so she’s lovely as well.”
The former Olympian, whose real name is Michael Edwards, added that he and Ogden now felt like they were also competing on behalf of Packard and Lustig-Webb.
But Edwards said he did feel the other contestants had had a head start on him as they had previously had a two-day boot camp and 30 hours of coaching.
After the presenters noted he had his Eddie “The Eagle” style on his side, he replied: “But I’m old as well, I’m too old.”
He added: “I do like to do a bit of a show if I can, if I have the ability.
“But at the back of my mind I’m thinking ‘I’ve got to stay on my feet, I’ve got to stay on my skates, I’ve still got to skate but try and do it with style’.
“So if I fall over, I’ll do it with style.”
In 1988, Edwards became the first British ski jumper to compete at the Winter Olympics since 1928. He finished last in both the 70m and 90m events.
Actor Taron Egerton portrayed the former Olympian in the 2016 biopic, which also stars Australian actor Hugh Jackman.
The ITV ice-skating competition will kick off on Sunday with the first batch of contestants.
Also among the 2024 line-up are radio presenter Adele Roberts, S Club 7 star Hannah Spearritt, West End star Amber Davies, Olympian Greg Rutherford, former Coronation Street star Ryan Thomas and EastEnders star Ricky Norwood.
Completing the series are actress Claire Sweeney, TV personality Miles Nazaire, comedian and writer Lou Sanders, former professional boxer Ricky Hatton and Emmerdale’s Roxy Shahidi.
Edwards said he had seen “little snippets” of his fellow competitors skating but had “no idea” about how good they were.
The former athlete, who will dance in the second batch next week, added: “My skating is going OK, but I don’t know what it is like in relation to everybody else.”
Holly Willoughby, who has been off screens since she left This Morning in October, will return to co-present the show with Stephen Mulhern following the departure of Phillip Schofield from ITV.
Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, Ashley Banjo and Oti Mabuse will also return as judges.
Dancing On Ice returns on Sunday at 6.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.