British skiing legend Eddie the Eagle Edwards touched down in Shepway to help one Folkestone business celebrate its grand re-opening.

The 1988 Calgary Olympics legend, Britain’s first ski jumper for six decades, was spring-boarded back into the limelight following a film biopic last year.

Now the ski-jump star tours the world speaking about his remarkable life, and his latest gig came as part of Red Eagle Recruitment’s celebration over relocating its offices to Sandgate Road.

He told the Express: “I’ve been doing a theatre tour, going around the country doing a two hour show talking about my life.

“I came straight to the hotel, but yes people do recognise me.

"It’s fun, I get lots of people coming up to me and saying hi. They either remember what happened 29 years ago in Calgary or remember the film that came out last year.

“The film is very true to life, it’s about 80 per cent (true to life).

“One thing they got totally wrong is that I didn’t go out and get drunk and miss the opening ceremony.”

Meanwhile, the suits and champagne flutes filled the conference room as staff, clients and bank managers waited for Eddie to deliver a motivational speech.

He joked how Steve Coogan was originally approached to play his part, “which was fine, but Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt would have been more suitable.”

He also discussed how his lack of success endeared him to people around the globe.

And while the film portrays Eddie as a hapless caricature of a laughable skier, he was incredibly resilient.

He said: “I would travel around Europe with no money, starving with nowhere to stay and desperate to ski wherever I could.

“I scraped food out of bins and stayed in a mental hospital in Finland because that was all I could afford.

He said: “Getting to the Olympics was my gold medal.

“I think I was so popular because I was this little David up against a Goliath of nations.

“It was my dream and I made that dream come true.

He joked: “I also think I was so successful because I was the best looking athlete there.”

It is 28 years since Edwards, a carpenter by trade, competed at Calgary in Canada, finishing last in both the 70m and 90m jumps.

Self-taught, jumping for less than two years and coming from a country without snow the authorities believed he was making a mockery about skiing - but the public loved him.

Contrary to popular belief, Eddie was a terrific downhill speed skier.

Since taking to the dry slopes of Gloucester aged 13, he later became the ninth fastest amateur in the world.

About two years ago he was approached by producer Matthew Vaughn and director Dexter Fletcher, who told him they had bought the rights to his story.

And even though the film Eddie the Eagle came out last year, he still picks up the occasional plastering contract from time to time.