Gloucester rugby legend Mike Tindall will become the first member of the royal family to appear on a tv reality show after signing up for Channel 4’s second series of The Jump.

Tindall, 36, who lives at Gatcombe Park near Minchinhampton and is married to the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Phillips, will join 11 other celebrities as they try to master ski jumping, speed skating and the giant slalom among other winter sports.

The former England World Cup winner, who recently turned out for local club Minchinhampton RFC, will be lining up alongside Jack Ass star Steve-O, JLS singer JB Gill, Paralympian Jon-Allan Butterworth, dancer Louie Spence, Gogglebox star Dom Parker, TV & radio presenter and former England cricketer Phil Tufnell, and TV personality Joey Essex.

The women’s line-up includes philanthropist Heather Mills, TV presenter and dare devil Jodie Kidd, ex-Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts, pop star Stacey Solomon, socialite Lady Victoria Hervey, Heptathlete Louise Hazel and Made In Chelsea star Louise Thompson.

The celebrities have all begun training and the series is expected to air next month, kicking off with the Jump In when competitors go head-to-head in the Skeleton. The slowest will have to take on a live ski jump to secure their place, and Woodchester’s Eddie ‘the Eagle’ Edwards will be on hand to help them perfect their jumping technique.