‘Sensitive’ Channel 4 bosses AXE ex-Olympian Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards from The Jump for raising concerns about stars’ safety
THE Jump has been dubbed the most dangerous TV show after a number of celebs suffered horrific injuries on the slopes.
And now I can reveal Channel 4 bosses have axed ski jumper EDDIE “THE EAGLE” EDWARDS from the new series after he raised safety concerns.
The former Olympian — whose underdog story was last year made into an film starring TARON EGERTON and HUGH JACKMAN — had been a commentator on the winter sports show since its launch in 2014.
A source said: “Producers didn’t like what he was saying about the show as it came in for a lot of stick.
“They are really sensitive because of the amount of people who have broken their legs or been seriously hurt.
“It would be hard for Eddie to appear on the show after his comments because he would have to explain them and there is a high chance someone else will get injured.”
But Channel 4 chiefs have blamed an “editorial decision” for his departure, rather than because he went public with his health and safety concerns.
Eddie had admitted he was shocked the show would be returning for a fourth series after the number of casualties last year.
He said in October: “I kept on telling the producers, ‘It’s going to get very difficult, very hairy’ and they said, ‘No it’s all right’ and they’ve carried on and they’ve had so many accidents.
“I was very surprised they’re going to have another series.”
Girls Aloud star SARAH HARDING revealed last month that she is still hooked on powerful painkillers following her fall on the show last February.
Olympian REBECCA ADLINGTON dislocated her shoulder, gymnast BETH TWEDDLE fractured vertebrae in her neck and actress TINA HOBLEY needed an operation after dislocating her elbow in accidents on the last series.
The Wanted’s TOM PARKER also tore ligaments in his hand, while Made in Chelsea’s MARK-FRANCIS VANDELLI broke an ankle.
Among the celebrities taking part in the show when it returns on Sunday, February 5, are cycling legend SIR BRADLEY WIGGINS, Made in Chelsea’s SPENCER MATTHEWS and former England footballer ROBBIE FOWLER who took a tumble on the slopes during training.
They will have to watch Eddie’s movie for some tips.
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Not so sweet sixties
CALL THE MIDWIFE is moving closer to the swinging Sixties – but the storylines are getting more controversial.
Female genital mutilation, lesbian relationships and testing for Down’s syndrome during pregnancy all feature in the latest episodes, which are set in 1962.
LINDA BASSETT who plays nurse Phyllis Crane, said: “These are all real things that happened then and happen now.
“The world wasn’t a sweeter, nicer place. There were people who did terrible things to each other then.
“It would be lovely if we had got better but we don’t seem to have done.
“I think the key word is love in this series – which is brought out of bad situations.”
JUDY PARFITT, Sister Monica Joan in the BBC1 show, said a long-running dementia storyline involving her character has been tough for her, because her husband TONY STEEDMAN died of the disease.
Judy added of Sister Monica: “I mean, the thing for me is that she is a challenge – she’s highly educated, highly intelligent, well read . . . but then she has this incipient dementia.
“It’s the most dreadful disease.”
Sounds like this series will be quite a tearjerker.
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PHIL has a huge bombshell for Sharon in EASTENDERS.
It’s his birthday and his presents include a jigsaw of the Queen Vic, which he is given by Dennis. But secrets explode for the Mitchell family when Phil interrupts the proceedings to speak to Sharon. Meanwhile, there is trouble in store on the Cobbles when Phelan is unable to destroy the CCTV footage of his conversation with Todd in CORONATION STREET. His plans to steal Kevin’s laptop to get rid of the telltale video are thwarted. Instead, he orders Andy to burn down Kevin’s garage – and it will be the worse for Steph if he fails.
Sir Ian's last of his line
GOING on Who Do You Think You Are? is exciting for most celebrities.
But Lord of the Rings star SIR IAN MCKELLEN’s appearance on the BBC1 family history show was tinged with sadness as the star acknowledged that his branch of the McKellens will die when he does.
He said: “ I’m the last of the McKellens, the last of my line. I’m just left with photographs, really.
“And there’s no one left for me to ask about them.”
The episode, to be aired on Wednesday night, did prove interesting for the Shakespearean legend, though. He discovered that his gran’s uncle had also been an actor in the theatre.
I doubt he was quite as successful, though.
But Sir Ian added: “However successful or unsuccessful Frank was, I do like the idea that he contributed to the gaiety of things by being in a show, and touring round, bringing entertainment to people.
“That’s what my mother apparently said: ‘if Ian decides to be an actor, it’s a good job because it brings pleasure to people’.”