Olympic star Beth breaks her back in TV ski show horror crash
She’s THIRD victim of Jump jinx
BRITAIN’S most successful gymnast needs back surgery after fracturing two vertebrae while filming for The Jump.
Beth Tweddle – who won a bronze medal in the London 2012 Olympics – was airlifted to hospital on Saturday after crashing into a barrier.
The 30-year- old is believed to have picked up too much speed while training on the Channel 4 show’s infamous ski jump, sending her careering into the padding at the end of the landing area.
Miss Tweddle, who retired from gymnastics in 2013, will not be able to return to the winter sports programme, making her the third contestant to pull out of the current series due to injury. Some viewers are now calling for it to be axed, amid fears that it has become too dangerous.
In a statement yesterday, her parents Ann and Jerry said: ‘Beth had a fall on
‘Maybe it’s time to stop now?’
the slopes while training for The Jump. She is stable and due to undergo routine surgery on her back.’
They added that they were grateful for the good wishes they had received, and would keep fans updated.
Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington and actress Tina Hobley had already pulled out of the programme – which is now in its third series – ahead of the second episode being aired last night.
Miss Adlington, 26, dislocated her shoulder while Holby City star Miss Hobley, 44, dislocated her elbow.
Former EastEnders actress Louisa Lytton, 27, also tore a ligament in the base of her thumb before she became the first contestant to be eliminated in the live shows.
Viewers have now taken to social media to urge organisers to cancel the programme, which sees celebrities try out increasingly difficult winter sports such as skeleton and ski cross.
One wrote on Twitter: ‘Terrible for Beth Tweddle to injure her back on The Jump after years as a competitive gymnast! Maybe it’s time for [the programme] to stop now?’ Another said: ‘ Show needs to be cancelled immediately before someone is paralysed or dies!’
Speaking about her departure, Miss Adlington said she was ‘sad to be leaving on injury’.
She added: ‘ I’m so proud of myself with the challenges I have overcome, from skeleton to jumping and learning how to ski.
‘I’m very grateful to have met the most incredible people as well. It was difficult but so much fun.’
She will be replaced by former contestant Heather Mills, the former wife of Sir Paul McCartney.
The 48-year-old was knocked out of last year’s series in the first round, and was forced to compete with an unfamiliar prosthetic leg after damaging her own in filming.
Despite the show being blighted by injuries, she said: ‘I am overjoyed to be asked back by Channel 4 to join the competitors on The Jump, as I always felt it was unfinished business.’
Miss Hobley will be replaced by Tom Parker, 27, from British-Irish boy band The Wanted. A replacement for Miss Tweddle had not yet been announced last night.
Speaking about the latest injury, a spokesman for Channel 4 said: ‘The health and safety of competitors is always paramount and Miss Tweddle was immediately taken to hospital for treatment after hurting herself during training.’
Last week’s episode of the show – which is filmed at the Austrian ski resort Kuhtai – was watched by 2.1million people. The series is due to run for a further five weeks.