Christopher Dean has described it as "wonderful" to "bow out on a high" following his final performance with ice dancing partner Jayne Torvill. The legendary duo brought their 40-year partnership to an emotional close in their home town of Nottingham.
The pair, who wrote their names into British sporting history at the 1984 Winter Games, announced their retirement from skating together in 2024. Their farewell tour, Torvill And Dean: Our Last Dance, culminated with four performances in Nottingham after touring across the UK.
Final performance brings emotional high
Following their last dance together, Dean, 66, said the performance went well and praised the audience as "amazing". He added: "For us, to be able to bow out on a high like that was wonderful."
When asked about the emotional impact, Dean revealed the earlier Nottingham shows had been quite moving. "I think I sort of got that out of me, and tonight, it was a high," he said.
Audience praised as "phenomenal"
Dean praised the skating quality and described the audience as "phenomenal" and "the best audience ever". Torvill, 67, acknowledged they would miss the excitement of performing together.
"When you've done all these shows like this, and you're suddenly home, not doing anything, you miss that adrenaline rush," Torvill said. She promised they would work on other projects but confirmed they would not be skating on ice together again.
Olympic legacy spans four decades
The duo secured Olympic gold in 1984 with their iconic ice dance to Ravel's Bolero at the Zetra Olympic Hall in Sarajevo. They also achieved success at the World, European and British Championships before returning to win bronze at the 1994 Winter Games in Lillehammer, Norway.
After retiring from competitive skating, they branched into touring, coaching and choreographing. They became the faces of celebrity competition show Dancing On Ice, which ran from 2006 until 2014.
Dancing On Ice chapter closes
When Dancing On Ice was revived in 2018, they served as head judges until earlier this year when ITV announced the show would be rested. Their farewell tour visited London, Belfast, Sheffield, Birmingham, Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow.
The tour featured a team of professional figure skaters, including some who had appeared on Dancing On Ice. The performances marked the end of one of Britain's most celebrated sporting partnerships.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
