Wiggins Signs Up for Channel 4's The Jump

Having announced his retirement from professional cycling just a few days ago, Sir Bradley Wiggins revealed yesterday that he’s to appear on the Channel 4 TV series The Jump. Contestants take part in some of the most dangerous winter sports including skeleton, bobsleigh and the dreaded K40 ski jump.

Wiggins winning the 2012 Tour de France By William Morice [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Contrary to some predictions Wiggins seems happy to stay in the limelight, despite an ongoing investigation into the delivery of a medical package to him at the end of the 2011 Dauphine. Some had thought he would also wish to lay low for a while to let the fracas of the TUE revelations blow over.

Winning the 2011 Dauphine By Petit Brun from France (Braddley Wiggins et Jean Christophe Péraud) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

He revealed that skiing was a big passion of his and that, “I see this as a sporting challenge and want to go out there and win it…just don’t call me a celebrity.” He will, in fact, be joined by one or two “celebrities” such as former Made In Chelsea star Spencer Matthews and TV presenter Emma Parker Bowles. The line up of former sports stars includes a rather heavy looking Robbie Fowler (Liverpool and England footballer) and rugby sensation Jason Robinson.

The Jump has been notorious for the number of injuries that have befallen its contestants. Some of the victims have included model Melinda Messenger and Olympian Steve Redgrave. This is its fourth series. No transmission date has been set as yet but it is likely to be broadcast sometime in February over six weeks.