Eddie lands a plum work-experience job (From Stroud News and Journal)

Eddie lands a plum work-experience job

BRITISH ski-ing hero Eddie the Eagle landed in Stroud last week.

The Cheltenham-born sportsman, who won the hearts of the public in the 1988 Winter Olympics, spent three days on work experience at Stroud District Council.

The ex-ski jumping champion now dreams of becoming a high-flying lawyer and is in the final year of a law degree at De Montfort University, Leicester.

He worked with the council legal team from Wednesday to Friday.

Eddie, 39, lives in Leicester and earns a living through personal appearances, ski-ing lessons and a show on Radio Gloucestershire.

Although he finds his work enjoyable he said: "I want something that will interest me for the next 30 years. "I don't want to end up stacking shelves."

Eddie learnt to ski at the Gloucester Dry Ski Slope. He said; "I first put on skis at age 13 and my life changed." Eddie's last competition was in 1998.

He sat distance learning GCSE and A Level exams at Gloucester and Cheltenham-based college GLOSCAT before starting a degree.

Now he plans to do a year-long legal practice course and might specialise in media or sports.

Becoming a solicitor will be his second big career change. In the 1980s he made the leap from plasterer to international sports star - though he was more famous for his guts and determination than athletic prowess.

"I come from a country with no real snow and no history of ski jumping," he said. "Getting to the Olympic Games was my gold medal."

Eddie, real name Michael Edwards, qualified with a 77 metre jump after no other Brits entered the event.

At the height of his fame he couldn't even go to the shops. He said: "It used to take me three hours to buy a Mars bar because everyone wanted to talk to me. "It was an exciting period but now I want to do other things."

Eddie said he was very grateful for the help given to him by the council.

British film company Working Title, which made Notting Hill and Bridget Jones's Diary, is currently making a production of Eddie's life, due to come out next year.

The screenplay, based on his 1998 book, could star Steve Coogan, Ewan McGregor or Mike Myers.

It will be directed by Kirk Jones, responsible for Irish comedy Waking Ned.

Eddie said: "Disney offered to buy the film rights some years ago, but we were worried their version might be too Americanised. "Mine is a very British story."