Torvill and Dean: six facts about the Dancing on Ice judge duo
Did you know that Torvill and Dean had a brief romance?
has seen Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean on the show's judging panel since 2006, with the skating champions giving out advice and encouragement to the many stars that have graced the ice.
The former Olympic champions won gold at the Sarajevo 1984 Winter Olympics, and became the highest scoring figure skaters of all time (for a single programme) after skating to Maurice Ravel's . At the time, this was watched on television in the UK by over 24 million people.
As a result of their success, Torvill and Dean have an impressive fan base, and have been awarded both an MBE and an OBE for their work. But there is still a lot you might not know – keep reading for six facts about them.
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Torvill and Dean have had jobs outside of skating
Despite training as skaters since they were children, Torvill and Dean both had jobs outside of their profession during the early days of their careers. During an interview with , Christopher explained: "I was a policeman, Jayne worked in an office. We had to finance what we were doing." Jayne added: "Even as national champions we weren't allowed sponsorships or to promote brands. We were amateurs."
Torvill and Dean had a brief romance as teenagers
How old are Torvill and Dean?
Torvill and Dean are both in their sixties, yet are fitter than ever. Jayne is 64, while Christopher is 63. They met as teenagers, and have been skating since they were children.
Torvill and Dean had a brief romance
Having worked together for over 45 years, many people assume that Torvill and Dean are a couple. While this is not the case, the pair admitted to a short-lived romance during their teenage years during an appearance on . They revealed that they didn't want to ever take things any further because they wanted to focus on their skating.
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There are streets named after Torvill and Dean
In their hometown of Nottingham, where they met as teenagers, there are several streets that have been named after them including Crawford Close, Jayne Close, Dean Close, Christopher Close, and Bolero Square.
The skating stars have streets named after them
Torvill and Dean can still skate as well today
Torvill and Dean continue to impress viewers with their skating on the show. In the last series, the Olympic champions wowed with lifts, spins and perfect synchronisation to , proving that they can skate just as well now as they did during their competing days.
Torvill and Dean continue to impress viewers with their skating
Fans were amazed with their performance and many took to social media to praise them. One person wrote: "Exquisite! Beauty and strength. Poetry on ice and unbeatable. Torvill and Dean are a phenomenon, like a shooting comet, never to be repeated, not in this lifetime."
Torvill and Dean talk every day
While Christopher now resides in Buckinghamshire with his wife Karen Barber, he used to live in America when not working on and even then, he and Jayne spoke most days. Chatting to at the time, Jayne revealed: "Chris has lived in America for ten years, so in the years we see each other for six months, then we're apart for six months. But even then we talk most days."
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