Eddie Kidd before his accident [Eddie Kidd]

AFTER an ill-fated stunt left him paralysed, the “British Evel Knievel” said his rich and fulfilling life as a disabled person has taught him to “always have hope”.

As a child growing up in Canonbury in the 1960s, Eddie Kidd could not have known the highs and lows that would come to define his life. His parents moved to the borough after his father left the army.

A student at Newington Green Primary School and later Highbury Grove School for Boys, Mr Kidd went on to become a celebrated stuntman, working on multiple Bond movies and other films including Bullseye! and Hanover Street before a serious crash in 1996 left him paralysed.

ow largely non-verbal, Mr Kidd worked with his partner Billie Mobayed to give us a special written interview this week. According to the former motorbike stuntman, his life was changed after watching a 1971 film at an Upper Street cinema.

“I saw a movie about Evel Knievel at Screen on the Green with my mate… and knew that was my path,” he said. Soon after watching the film Mr Kidd, who lived in Beresford Road and later Kelvin Road, “began to practise at an empty car lot with my friends,” beginning with bicycle stunts.

His father, ever supportive of his son’s passion for stunt performing, encouraged him to take up training with a local motorcycle stunt group, where he proved something of a prodigy, gaining the junior world record title after jumping over eight buses. His career began when he was just 14 years old.

He performed death-defying tricks both for the big screen and at his live stunt shows, jumping the width of 14 double-decker buses while he was still a teenager.

Eddie Kidd at home in Peacehaven [Eddie Kidd]

Before long Mr Kidd started appearing on chat shows, and became the face of Levi’s jeans. Vivienne Westwood specially designed his bike leathers, and soon enough he was a familiar presence in Hollywood, doubling for James Bond, Harrison Ford and Michael Douglas, among many others.

When it comes to his favourite jumps, Mr Kidd has a catalogue of 3,000 to choose from, but some stick out in his memory.

My favourite jump I ever did was the Great Wall of China – it wasn’t the most difficult but was the most dangerous,” he said, in reference to his 1993 motorcycle stunt that saw him leap over its Simatai section, risking a treacherous drop into a river.

That same year, he won a “Daredevil Duel” against Robbie Knievel, the son of his hero Evel Knievel. “My jump-off for the World Championship against Robbie Knievel that I won was the most satisfying… I knew I could do it,” he said.

Many years later, during a 2021 speech given on his behalf by his partner Billie, Mr Kidd said: “I became bigger than my hero Evel Knievel.”

As a 20-year-old, he also starred in Riding High, the 1982 cult British riding film that saw the stuntman clear an astonishing 80ft gap over the River Blackwater in Essex as part of his role playing a motorcycle messenger who trains to participate in a major biking competition.

“I loved my job, making people happy and meeting fans. It was thrilling and exciting moving from town to town with my show. I never minded the attention. “Later on in my career as a model and TV celebrity, it was a lot of fun,” he said.

But in 1996, a routine jump at a Hell’s Angel rally in Warwickshire ended in tragedy. His motorbike spun out of control, leaving him with brain damage, and a broken neck and pelvis.

“I was 37 when I had my accident. I was in a coma for three months with my family at my side who never left me – I guess I knew I had a lot of love to wake up for,” he said.

Mr Kidd said of his collision in his 2021 speech: “After my crash I wanted to die, kill myself, as I just didn’t know how to carry on. I went from hero to zero in a split second.” He had to learn to walk, talk and even taste again after the crash.

“Living was a challenge but I had faced many challenges in my life,” he said. Coming to terms with his injuries was difficult at first. “I wanted to give up many times but this was meant to be,” he said. “I had lived an incredible life and was blessed with success and now this new journey was to help others.”

After his accident, Mr Kidd had his third child, Callum, and in 2011 he walked the London marathon in 50 days in a “specially designed walker”, raising thousands of pounds for children with cancer.

He later received an OBE for his work, and also became a mental health ambassador for the charity Homeless Worldwide.

“I just accept it, I cannot change it. I always say if not for my accident I would not have my third child Callum,” he said.

“If not for my accident I wouldn’t have walked the London marathon for Children With Cancer UK and received my OBE at Buckingham Palace from Prince Charles who is now King.

“Always have hope and work hard to execute your dreams into reality. Never give up.”

Eddie Kidd [Eddie Kidd]

As a disabled person, there are certain things Mr Kidd would like to see change, particularly surrounding accessibility.

“We are definitely not treated equally. A lot has to change,” he said. “Especially access in hotels and restaurants. I would at some point in time like to consult and teach hotel owners just what an accessible room should be for all ranges of disability.”

He is still working today with “a few things in the pipeline”, including a new book and a screenplay telling “the story of my life for the big screen”.

An Arsenal fan, Mr Kidd now lives in Peacehaven on the south coast with his partner, surrounded by family, but still regularly visits his old haunts in north London.

“I like to go to the Highbury Barn so will pop in soon,” he said.