Eddie the Eagle sees a new kind of winter endurance with British Gas

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As winter continues — shaping up to be one of the coldest in recent years — households have been facing freezing temperatures and icy conditions. At a time when the nation is turning its attention to the endurance, preparation and resilience demanded by winter sport, British Gas engineers have been showing those same qualities on the ground, already attending over 600,000 call-outs this winter to restore heating for families, including in some of the UK’s most remote locations.

To make sure no customer is out of reach, even in the most extreme conditions, British Gas has drawn inspiration from elite winter sport. As a proud partner of Team GB and ParalympicsGB, British Gas has teamed up with Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards to share insights on resilience, preparation and performing under pressure with trainee engineers, mirroring the focus and endurance Team GB athletes will bring to the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

“I’ve spent my life learning how to cope with cold, pressure and the odd moment where everything feels stacked against you,” said Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards. “Being hard-working, resilient and able to perform under pressure are qualities every Olympian needs, and they’re exactly what I saw in British Gas engineers too. Whether it’s freezing temperatures or tough conditions, they just get on with the job and make sure people are looked after.”

The partnership comes as households rethink what really matters when temperatures drop.

New research commissioned by British Gas shows that winter breakdowns remain a major concern for households, with 66% of Brits saying a boiler breakdown is the winter scenario most likely to disrupt their daily life, ranking above power cuts (61%) and frozen or burst pipes (60%).

In fact, 43% of Brits say waking up without heating is the most frustrating winter scenario, far outweighing concerns such as losing internet (13%), TV (12%) or mobile signal (8%).

The research also suggests Britain is far from a nation of winter lovers. Just 2% of people rate their cold-weather endurance as “Olympic-level”, while 75% admit they struggle when temperatures fall.

It may help explain why, while six in ten Brits are drawn to the idea of living in a remote or rural location, 41% say winter weather puts them off or has made remote living harder than expected.

Peter Knowles, Technical Repair Engineer at British Gas said, “I see first-hand how much pressure winter can put on households when temperatures drop suddenly or severe weather hits. That’s why it’s so important we have priority engineers ready to respond — even in tough conditions or hard-to-reach locations. Whether it’s snow, ice or customers being cut off, our focus is always on taking care of things for households as quickly as possible, including same-day support when it matters most.”

British Gas is also encouraging households to take a few simple steps to help keep their home warm and working, including:

·       Checking boilers and having regular services to make sure its working efficiently

·       Knowing where stopcocks are located in case of frozen or burst pipes

·       Bleeding radiators to keep heating systems running efficiently

·       Insulating pipes and lofts to help retain heat

·       Having a winter plan in place, including emergency contacts

With more than half of Brits (55%) saying a breakdown would become a serious problem within 24 hours, to help households stay warm when it matters most, British Gas offers same-day boiler repairs for anyone (you don’t have to be a British Gas customer) who calls before 11am - because in winter, waiting simply isn’t an option. 

British Gas is offering free boiler service health checks this winter for remote homes, open to households regardless of their energy provider. To be in with a chance to win one, people can enter on @britishgas Instagram, with winners contacted directly to arrange a free booking.