Ben Cohen replaces injured contestants on Channel 4's The Jump

Ben Cohen is joining the The Jump on Channel 4 after five celebrities pulled out of the show due to injury.

The former England rugby player and Strictly Come Dancing contestant will appear on screens from Sunday, 14th February.

This year's series of the winter sports competition, in Austria, has been plagued by injuries.

Britain's most successful gymnast Beth Tweddle had surgery after fracturing vertebrae in her neck.

On Saturday she confirmed she is walking unaided again.

In a statement she said: "I've started to feel a lot better in the past 24 hours and I've begun walking by myself.

"It's still a case of taking one day at a time, but I'm setting myself goals and I'm determined to be up and about as soon as I can."

Channel 4 has said Cohen has been given a "personalised training plan" to make sure he's ready for the slopes.

Ben confirms: "Yes, I am doing @TheJumpC4".

Injured Olympians Rebecca Adlington and Linford Christie have also pulled out of the competition as well as Eastenders actor Sid Owen and Holby City's Tina Hobley.

Producers say Ben's first challenge will be the parallel slalom, a slope first included in the Winter Olympic Games in 2014.

But what does it look like?

As well as the rugby pitch, the 37-year-old has already also displayed his skills on the dance floor after taking part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2013.

Ben and Kristina Rihanoff appeared together on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing

A spokesperson for Channel 4 has said that Cohen "has been assessed and cleared by the programme's expert training team to be part of the series.

"A personalised training plan is in place to get him ready to compete in this Sunday's show."

The amount of injuries has prompted Channel 4 to review the show's health and safety procedures.

It said the competition is "no more difficult than in previous years".

Gymnast Beth Tweddle has confirmed she is walking unaided again

Swimmer Rebecca Adlington also pulled out of the show, which is filmed in Austria

"All winter sports carry some element of risk, but in light of the number of injuries this year,

"Channel 4 has asked the producers to review safety procedures again to further reduce the prospect of accident."

All celebrities undertake rigorous training in preparation before taking to the slopes.

Ben is expecting a baby with girlfriend (and former Strictly professional dancer) Kristina Rihanoff, who appeared as one of this year's Celebrity Big Brother contestants.

She announced the pregnancy on live television to her fellow housemates after being on the show one week.

For more stories like this one you can now download the BBC Newsbeat app straight to your device. For iPhone go here. For Android go here.