The Jump's Bradley Wiggins Reveals 'EastEnders' Offer, As He Admits He'd Like Acting Role

He would have been perfect as Danny Dyer's long-lost cousin.

Bradley Wiggins may currently be tearing up the slopes on ‘The Jump’, but he has revealed we nearly saw him in a very different guise, after being offered a role on ‘EastEnders’

The Olympic cyclist has told of how he turned down the chance to star on the BBC soap due to his sporting career, but is now considering a move into acting following his retirement. 

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Bradley Wiggins recently retired from cycling
Anthony Devlin/PA Wire

Bradley, who is Britain’s most decorated Olympian, previously revealed he had snubbed the chance to appear on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ in order to take on ‘The Jump’. 

He made his debut on Channel 4’s winter sports show on Sunday (5 February), where he was seen taking on the slalom. 

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Bradley is currently appearing on 'The Jump'
Channel 4

However, what viewers may not have realised was that he was actually suffering from an injury to his foot, which he revealed to fans on Instagram last week. 

Bradley posted an image of his leg being bandaged up, alongside the caption: ‘”The show must go on.”

He previously said he was not bothered about hurting himself on the notoriously dangerous show, saying: “People go skiing and hurt themselves all the time, it’s the nature of the sport,” 

“It’s a good show and I’ve always enjoyed watching it, so I’m pleased to be here.”

‘The Jump’ continues next Sunday at 7.30pm on Channel 4. 

'The Jump': Celebrity Injuries
Rebecca Adlington - Series 3 (2016)(01 of15)
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What happened?
Olympic swimmer Rebecca dislocated her shoulder while training, having to bow out three days after Tina's exit.

Replaced by?
Heather Mills, who'd taken part in the show a year prior. You can look forward to her name cropping up again later.
(credit:Channel 4)
Henry Conway - Series 1 (2014)(02 of15)
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What happened?
Socialite Henry Conway has the unique distinction of being the first contestant to pull out of 'The Jump' once the series had actually started, after injuring his hand while training for the skeleton.

Replaced by?
Joe McElderry, who would go on to eventually win the show.
(credit:Channel 4)
Melinda Messenger - Series 1 (2014)(03 of15)
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What happened?
The day after Henry's exit, Melinda suffered a concussion, and was also forced to withdraw.

Replaced by?
Donal MacIntyre, who competed against Joe McElderry for a place on the show a day earlier.
(credit:Channel 4)
Sir Steve Redgrave - Series 1 (2014)(04 of15)
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What happened?
The Olympic legend made it all the way to the final day of 'The Jump', but fell at the last hurdle, and was unable to partake in the last challenge.

Replaced by?
No one, on account of it being the last day.
(credit:Channel 4)
Marcus Brigstocke - Series 1 (2014)(05 of15)
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What happened?
Marcus says that snapping his cruciate ligaments on the day of the first ever final of 'The Jump' left him unable to work for a year.

However, he's still full of praise for the show, calling it the "opportunity of a lifetime".

Replaced by?
No one
(credit:Channel 4)
Ola Jordan - Series 2 (2015)(06 of15)
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What happened?
Like Sam J Jones before her, Ola was forced to withdraw before the series even began, after damaging her knee to such an extent that she required surgery.

She recently admitted that partaking in 'The Jump' could have been detrimental to her career as a dancer.

Replaced by?
Chloe Madeley
(credit:Simon Earl/Splash News)
Sally Bercow - Series 2 (2015)(07 of15)
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What happened?
Sally lasted a bit longer than Ola in the training, but still had to pull out before filming had even begun.

She did last long enough on the line-up to film this short promo clip, though, which (ironically) shows her falling from the sky in a ski suit.

Replaced by?
Jodie Kidd
(credit:Channel 4)
Tina Hobley - Series 3 (2016)(08 of15)
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What happened?
Despite two pre-series incidents, the second run of 'The Jump' managed to see all of its contestants clinging on without having to withdraw due to injury.

The same cannot be said of the third series, of which Tina Hobley was the first casualty, when she injured her shoulder and knee, as well as breaking her arm in two places.

She later claimed that her injuries cost her a potential role on 'Broadchurch', adding: "I couldn’t make it because I was in plaster. I’d been waiting two years for that job."

Replaced by?
Former The Wanted singer Tom Parker, who eventually finished in third place.
(credit:Channel 4)
Beth Tweddle - Series 3 (2016)(09 of15)
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What happened?
That very same day, Rebecca's fellow Olympian Beth Tweddle fractured two vertebrae and was airlifted to hospital.

Her injury left her in need of major surgery, while in the months that followed, she revealed she was still seeing a psychologist to process the accident.

Replaced by?
Zara Holland... but not for long.
(credit:Channel 4)
Zara Holland - Series 3 (2016)(10 of15)
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What happened?
The then-reigning Miss GB was initially brought in by producers as a potential replacement for Beth Tweddle.

However, less than 48 hours after touching down in Austria, she was sent packing, with producers deciding they didn't think she could take part in the competition.

She later cropped up in 'Love Island', a move which changed her career, as her on-screen escapades saw her dethroned.

Replaced by?
Joe Swash
(credit:Joe Maher via Getty Images)
Mark-Francis Vandelli - Series 3 (2016)(11 of15)
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What happened?
In what proved to be a really, really tough couple of weeks for 'The Jump', Mark-Francis fractured his ankle, and again, was advised to leave the show by a medic.

Replaced by?
Eventual winner, Ben Cohen
(credit:Channel 4)
Linford Christie - Series 3 (2016)(12 of15)
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What happened?
Seriously, though. It was a bad two weeks.

Linford Christie was the next celebrity to pull out, as he suffered a hamstring injury, and wasn't left with enough time to recuperate and be back on the slopes before that week's live show.

Replaced by?
By this point, the stand-by contestants were all already on the show, so the previously-eliminated James 'Arg' Argent was brought back (only to then be swiftly kicked off again).
(credit:Channel 4)
Sarah Harding - Series 3 (2016)(13 of15)
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What happened?
Remarkably, the show managed to go a whole week without anybody having to pull out.

Sadly, Sarah was the next unlucky celebrity who had to leave, after an accident left her with torn ligaments in her knees.

She later blamed the 'toll' of the incident when her performance in 'Ghost: The Musical' was critically panned later that year.

Replaced by?
No one, at that late stage in the contest.
(credit:Channel 4)
Heather Mills - Series 3 (2016)(14 of15)
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What happened?
Having only originally entered the contest as a replacement for an injured celeb, Heather wound up having an accident of her own, pulling out when she hurt her thumb and knee.

Replaced by?
No one
(credit:Channel 4)
Vogue Williams - Series 4 (2017)(15 of15)
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What happened?
Just days before episode one of the fourth series was due to air, Vogue injured her knee, leaving her unable to compete in the live shows.

Replaced by?
Fellow model Amy Willerton
(credit:Channel 4)