BEDFORD’S very own sparky Eddie the Eagle is set to fly once again by taking part in a New Year’s Day ski jump in Germany.

Britain’s most famous ski jumper, now 50, will jump on January 1 at a world cup large hill event at Bavaria’s Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Eddie, real name Michael Edwards, became famous when he finished last at the Calgary Winter Olympics in Canada in 1988.

Rather than competing, the ex-Olympian will act as a “fore-jumper” to set the time and speed for the other entrants.

He told the BBC: “I’m excited because I’m fitter now than I was 20 years ago.”

The former ski jumper and plasterer lived in Bedford for eight years after he shot to fame in Calgary but has returned to Bedfordshire twice in the couple of years when he took a engineering course at Bedford College and soared to victory to win ITV’s reality show ‘Splash!’ filmed at the Inspire Centre in Luton.

On the show Eddie beat off competition from Benidorm actor Jake Canuso and BBC’s Changing Rooms presenter Linda Barker, to take the crown.

Speaking after the show Eddie said: “It’s been fantastic and it’s been very painful, very difficult, very, very dangerous but I’ve loved every second.”