Winter Olympic sports films: where to watch Cool Runnings, Eddie the Eagle, Blades of Glory & more on TV in UK

Cool Runnings and Eddie the Eagle are both available to watch on Amazon Prime throughout the Winter Olympics
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With the Winter Olympics nearing the end of its first full week, Team GB are yet to win any medals in the Beijing 2022 tournament but with plenty more action on the way, hopefully it cannot be long before a bronze, silver or even gold medal is awarded.

Over the years, Great Britain have not always had the greatest success stories at the Winter Olympics but for a country that does not have regular access to consistent snow and ice,

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They are ranked 19th in the overall medal table in the history of the Winter Olympics.

50 athletes have travelled to Beijing and as we look ahead to the remainder of the tournament, we can also look at the heroics of previous Winter Olympians who have inspired current athletes to hit the slopes and make history.

Cool Runnings, Eddie the Eagle and Blades of Glory are three of the most famous films relaying the tales of former Winter Olympians with Cool Runnings very loosely based on the ups and downs of the 1988 Jamaican bobsled team; Eddie the Eagle publicising Eddie Edwards who was Britain’s first competitor since 1928 to represent Team GB in Olympics ski jumping and Blades of Glory which portrayed two Olympic ice skaters who teamed up to compete as an all-male pair.

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I, Tonya - released in 2017 - has become a real sensation and portrays Tonya Harding’s rise and fall as a figure skater, including the scandal surrounding the attack on fellow figure skater Nancy Kerrigan.

Everything you need to know about the Winter Olympics 2022 (Graphic: Kim Mogg)Everything you need to know about the Winter Olympics 2022 (Graphic: Kim Mogg)
Everything you need to know about the Winter Olympics 2022 (Graphic: Kim Mogg)

So, how can we watch these sports comedy films?

Cool Runnings

Cool Runnings portrays the efforts of the Jamaican bobsleigh team who were the first from their country to compete in a bobsled team in a Winter Olympics.

While the film contains hardly any factual reality, it has become one of the most popular of its kind.

How to watch: The Hollywood and Disney film is primarily available on Disney Plus and is also available on Amazon Prime for a small rental fee of around £3.50.

Disney Plus is available for £7.99/month

Eddie the Eagle

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Starring Taron Egerton (as Eddie) and Hugh Jackman Eddie the Eagle shows the story of a determined, if relatively incompetent, athlete’s journey to compete at the 1988 Olympics in Calgary - the same year as Cool Runnings.

Eddie Edwards became the first British Olympics ski jumper to compete at an Olympics since 1928 and is a sporting icon.

Eddie the Eagle competed in the 1988 OlympicsEddie the Eagle competed in the 1988 Olympics
Eddie the Eagle competed in the 1988 Olympics

How to watch: Similarly to Cool Runnings, Eddie the Eagle is also available to watch on Disney Plus and Amazon Prime.

Prime will charge a rental fee similar to that of Cool Runnings.

Blades of Glory

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The film starring Will Ferrel and Amy Poehler tells the story of a mismatched pair of banned figure skaters who discover a loophole that allows them to compete in the sport again.

How to watch: This film can be rented on Amazon Prime for £3.49 as well as Hulu. Hulu offers a free trial and then a monthly subscription costs around £10.

I, Tonya

The feature film starring Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan and Allison Janney portrays the heartbreaking story of Tonya Harding who’s abusive mother forces her daughter to take up figure skating.

Tonya Harding was involved in a scandal around attacking rival Nancy KerriganTonya Harding was involved in a scandal around attacking rival Nancy Kerrigan
Tonya Harding was involved in a scandal around attacking rival Nancy Kerrigan

How to watch: I, Tonya is available to stream on Hulu and Amazon Prime.

Miracle

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The 2004 film Miracle depicts the story of Herb Brooks - a player turned coach - who led the 1980 US Olympic hockey team to victory over the seemingly invincible Soviet squad.

The film starts Kurt Russel and Eddie Cahill

How to watch: Miracle is available to watch on Disney Plus.

How to watch the Winter Olympics

The Winter Olympics is available to watch on BBC One, Two and BBC iPlayer. Go to our article on where to watch the Winter Olympics to find out more.

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