Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean have shared a surprising moment from their post-Olympic gold celebrations that left them feeling more than a little awkward.
The iconic skating duo are currently touring the UK with Our Last Dance, a farewell tour marking the end of their 50-year skating partnership.
Looking back at a career-defining moment
© ShutterstockThe pair shot to international fame after their unforgettable routine to Ravel’s Boléro at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. They scored a string of perfect 6.0s and brought home gold for Great Britain.
Reflecting on that win, Christopher, 66, told the Sunday Express: “You don’t realise at the time that four minutes in your career can be so life-changing.”
He added: “The Olympics was that moment for us.”
An unexpected homecoming
© Getty ImagesAfter returning to Nottingham, where both Jayne and Christopher grew up, the pair were met with a hero’s welcome.
Speaking about the event, Jayne, 67, revealed: “We were a little embarrassed. We thought no one would turn out.”
Instead, thousands lined the streets to welcome them home. “When we got to the main square, in Nottingham, it was completely full,” she said.
The city even named two roads after them: Torvill Drive and Dean Close.
Jayne recalled the moment they stepped onto the town hall balcony to wave at the crowd: “That’s when it hit us, what we’d done. Thinking about it, we were behaving like the Queen!”
A final goodbye to the rink
© Colorsport/ShutterstockEarlier this year, Jayne and Christopher performed together on TV for the final time during the Dancing on Ice final.
The ITV show has now been “rested” by the broadcaster, with no new series planned for 2025.
An ITV spokesperson confirmed: “Dancing On Ice will be rested in 2026 with no current plans for another series.”
The long-running format first aired in 2006 and saw Jayne and Christopher take on different roles throughout, from mentors to full-time judges.
They were instrumental in the show’s success, helping to train celebrity contestants and judging performances for over a decade.
What’s next for the Olympic icons?
© ShutterstockTheir farewell tour, Our Last Dance, will conclude on 12 July. It’s being billed as the final chance for fans to see them skate live together.
For many, their Olympic win remains one of the most iconic moments in British sporting history. Their routine has been replayed and revisited for decades.
As they prepare to hang up their skates, fans continue to celebrate their legacy.
And despite the global acclaim and lifelong admiration, it’s the unexpected crowd in Nottingham that remains one of Jayne’s most vivid memories: “It was so humbling, but also a little embarrassing. We didn’t expect it at all.”
Jayne and Christopher have proved that even after Olympic gold, primetime TV, and 50 years of partnership, they’re still able to laugh at themselves—and each other.
Our Last Dance is touring the UK now.
