Eddie the Eagle

“I was an expert skier who set his sights on going to the 1988 Olympics in Canada to represent Britain, and went from novice ramps to the 120-metre jump in five months. That's possible only with utter focus.”

“I want my life to move on. On the other hand, I can't say no to offers, not when I'm getting £50,000 a year to be Eddie the Eagle.”

“Most people should be given a chance to compete in the Olympic Games.”

“When I plummeted into infamy in the Calgary Olympics, I never thought that a film would be made about my life.”

“For all my 'Eddie the Eagle' goofing around before the camera while in training for the Calgary Olympics in 1988, I was never less than 100 per cent serious on every single jump.”

“Resilience can go an awful long way.”

“A lot of people think I'm really outgoing and confident, but I'm not. I'd much rather sit in a corner and read my book and my paper. I'm quite happy with my own company.”

“No matter how many people say you can't do something, use that as inspiration to prove them wrong.”

“Sport on TV is so boring.”

“When people make fun, it doesn't bother me. I've always enjoyed a laugh.”

“I travelled the world because of the way people saw me at the Olympics.”

“My mum was wonderful.”

“I don't regard myself as an entertainer. I don't think that's where my talents lie. It always feels a bit uncomfortable.”

“On the street, I'll hear, 'You made the Olympics for me,' or 'I love what you represented.' Only occasionally is it, 'You were a flop, an also-ran, a loser.'”

“Americans are very much 'Win! Win! Win!' In England, we don't give a fig whether you win. It's great if you do, but we appreciate those who don't.”

“I try to keep fit, as it's better for both skiing and plastering. I cycle and jog and I dance a lot - Ceroc, a form of modern jive.”

“After my ski jumping career finished, I went back to school to study law, and now I travel between five to 20 times a year doing after-dinner speaking, motivational talks, appearances, openings, TV and radio shows.”

“Maybe I am a little bit of a clown, but I am also a serious sportsman.”

“It was while I was in the mental hospital that I got my letter from the British Olympic Association saying, 'Congratulations. You've been picked to go to the Olympic Games.' I kept stressing I wasn't a patient.”

“Some people thought I wasn't taking the sport seriously because I was always laughing and having fun, but I loved my skiing, I loved my jumping, and I thought, 'Well, why not have a smile on my face when I'm doing something that I really, really love doing,' and that's how I was.”