Jayne Torvill

{{Infobox figure skater

| name = Jayne Torvill
OBE

| country = {{GBR2}}

| image = Jayne Torvill (cropped).jpg

| image_size = 260px

| caption = Torvill on the Dancing on Ice tour in Manchester, 2010

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|10|7|df=y}}

| birth_place = Clifton, Nottingham, England

| height = {{height|ft=5|in=2.5}}{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/to/jayne-torvill-1.html |title=Jayne Torvill] |work=sports-reference.com|access-date=23 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523063436/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/to/jayne-torvill-1.html |url-status=dead|archive-date=23 May 2015}}

| formerpartner = Michael Hutchinson (pairs),

Christopher Dean (ice dance)

| formercoach = Betty Callaway
Janet Sawbridge

| retired = 1984, 1994

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{GBR2}}}}

}}

Jayne Torvill, OBE (born 7 October 1957) is a British professional ice dancer and former competitor. She and her partner Christopher Dean are considered amongst the greatest ice dancers of all time.{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports-content/figureskating/opinion/2011/11/pjs-all-time-top-10-ice-dance.html |title=Pj's all-time top 10: Ice dance |date=22 November 2011 |first=P. J. |last=Kwong |publisher=CBC Sports |accessdate=29 March 2025}} The pair won a gold medal at the 1984 Winter Olympics, as well as a bronze medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics, becoming one of the oldest figure skating Olympic medalists. They were also four-time world and European champions and seven-time British champions.

Early life

Torvill was born in Clifton, Nottingham, England, and grew up in Nottingham.{{cite news|url= https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/torvill-deans-life-stories-appear-9048620.amp |title= Torvill and Dean's life stories as they appear on ITV Dancing on Ice |author=Zena Hawley|work= nottinghampost.com |access-date= 2025-02-23|date=21 January 2024}} She attended Clifton Hall Girls' Grammar School and worked in the city as an insurance clerk at Norwich Union.

Ice dance career

She became hooked on ice skating at age 8 following an after-school trip to the local ice rink. In 1971 at age 14, Torvill won gold at the British Pairs Figure Skating Championship with her then-partner Michael Hutchinson. They also took silver in 1970 and 1972.

After parting from Hutchinson, Torvill continued to skate on her own for a while before deciding to team up with Christopher Dean in 1975. On placing 5th in the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York, Dean gave up his job as a policeman and Torvill gave up hers as an insurance clerk to skate together full-time.

File:Jayne_Torvill_and_Christopher_Dean_-_Dancing_on_Ice_2011.jpg performing in 2011]]

Torvill and Dean's free programme at the 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics, performed to the music of Maurice Ravel's Boléro, which had to be cut down from 17 minutes to just 4 minutes. They received twelve perfect 6.0 marks, one of five occasions they were awarded all perfect scores for artistic impression. It was one of the most popular achievements in the history of British sport, watched by a British television audience of 24 million people. Since the time limit was four minutes and ten seconds and their music was four minutes 28 seconds, they began on their knees and moved their bodies to the music for 18 seconds before starting to skate.{{Cite web|date=2014-04-22|title=Christopher Dean and Jayne Torvill: how we made Boléro|url=http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/apr/22/how-we-made-bolero-christopher-dean-jayne-torvill|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220222055125/https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/apr/22/how-we-made-bolero-christopher-dean-jayne-torvill|archive-date=2022-02-22|access-date=2022-02-22|website=the Guardian|language=en}}

Torvill and Dean turned professional after their 1984 Olympic win and under then-existing Olympic Committee rules their professional status made them ineligible to compete in the Olympics again. However, in 1993 the International Skating Union relaxed the rules for professional skaters, allowing the pair to participate in the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer where they won a bronze medal. Torvill took a seven-year break from skating from 1998 to 2005.

From January 2006 to March 2025, she and Dean have participated in the ITV show Dancing on Ice as "judges".{{Cite news |date=2023-12-28 |title=Holly Willoughby to return to Dancing on Ice alongside Stephen Mulhern |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67832517 |access-date=2023-12-30}}{{Cite web |title=Holly Willoughby Returns To ITV |url=https://www.itv.com/news/2023-12-28/holly-willoughby-to-make-tv-return-alongside-stephen-mulhern}}{{Cite web |date=2021-12-22 |title=Strictly's Oti Mabuse to join Dancing on Ice as judge |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a38583523/dancing-on-ice-oti-mabuse-judge/ |access-date=2023-12-30 |website=Digital Spy |language=en-GB}} Each season, the show runs from January to March and then goes on tour to arenas across the United Kingdom. In November 2011, Torvill said, "the standard each year has gotten higher and higher, which is exciting for us – to think what we can achieve with people who have never skated or are relatively unknown to skating." Dancing on Ice ended on ITV after 19 years due to a drop in ratings.

Torvill and Dean were ambassadors for the 2012 European Figure Skating Championships in Sheffield, England.{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/winter_sports/16234415.stm | title = Torvill and Dean could return to help British ice skaters | first = Ollie | last = Williams | date = 3 January 2012 | access-date = 3 January 2012 }} In February 2014, Torvill and Dean visited Sarajevo for the 30th anniversary of the 1984 Olympics, and recreated their Bolero routine in the same arena where they won the gold.

Personal life

Torvill married Phil Christensen in 1990, and they are parents of two children.

In 1993, she and Dean were awarded Honorary Master of Arts degrees by Nottingham Trent University for services to ice dance and their contribution to its development as a creative art.

Competitive results

= Pair skating with Hutchinson =

style="background-color: #ffdead; " colspan=4 align=center \| International
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Event ! 1971 ! 1972 ! 1973
align=left \| European Championships		18th
style="background-color: #ffdead; " colspan=4 align=center \| National
align=left \| British Championships	bgcolor=silver \| 2nd	bgcolor=gold \| 1st	bgcolor=silver \| 2nd

= Amateur results with Dean =

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

!Event

!75–76

!76–77

!77–78

!78–79

!79–80

!80–81

!81–82

!82–83

!83–84

!93–94

style="text-align: left;" |Olympics

|5th

| style="background:gold;" |1st

| style="background:#c96;" |3rd

style="text-align: left;" |Worlds

|11th

|8th

|4th

| style="background:gold;" |1st

style="text-align: left;" |Europeans

|9th

|6th

|4th

| style="background:gold;" |1st

| align="center" |{{abbr|WD|Withdrew}}

| style="background:gold;" |1st

style="text-align: left;" |British Championships

|4th

| style="background:#c96;" |3rd

| style="background:gold;" |1st

style="text-align: left;" |NHK Trophy

| style="background:silver;" |2nd

style="text-align: left;" |St Ivel International

| style="background:gold;" |1st

style="text-align: left;" |Oberstdorf

| style="background:silver;" |2nd

| style="background:gold;" |1st

style="text-align: left;" |St Gervais

| style="background:gold;" |1st

style="text-align: left;" |Morzine Trophy

| style="background:silver;" |2nd

style="text-align: left;" |John Davis Trophy

| style="background:gold;" |1st

style="text-align: left;" |Sheffield Trophy

| style="background:gold;" |1st

style="text-align: left;" |Rotary Watches Competition

| style="background:silver;" |2nd

style="text-align: left;" |Northern Championships

| style="background:gold;" |1st

colspan="11" align="center" |WD: Withdrew

= Professional results with Dean =

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

!Event

!1984

!1985

!1990

!1994

!1995

!1996

style="text-align: left;" |World Professional Championships

| style="background:gold;" |1st

style="text-align: left;" |Challenge of Champions

| style="background:gold;" |1st

style="text-align: left;" |World Team Championship

| style="background:#c96;" |3rd

| style="background:gold;" |1st

Professional programmes

class="wikitable"

!1984

!1985

!1990

!1994

!1995

!1996

World Professional Championships

|Song of India, Encounter

|Diablo Tango, Venus

|Oscar Tango, Revolution / Imagine

|Encounter

|Still Crazy After All These Years, Cecilia

|Take Five, Hat Trick

Challenge of Champions

|Echoes of Ireland

|Still Crazy After All These Years, Cecilia

|Take Five, Hat Trick

World Team Championships

|Let's Face the Music, Encounter

|Bridge Over Troubled Water, Cecilia

|Sarabande, Hat Trick

Amateur programmes

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

!OSP/ORD

!Free Dance

!Exhibitions

1978

|The Great Waldo Pepper

1979

|Masquerade

|Slaughter on Tenth Avenue{{cite web|date=21 April 2010|title=Torvill & Dean (GBR) – 1979 World Figure Skating Championships, Ice Dancing, Free Dance|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqmp276DENg |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/Rqmp276DENg| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|access-date=17 October 2011|publisher=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}

|Evergreen{{cite web|date=5 January 2010|title=Torvill & Dean Evergreen|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4JTI_2zWlE |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/C4JTI_2zWlE| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|access-date=17 October 2011|publisher=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}

1980

|A Little Street in Singapore

|Sing Sing Sing etc.{{cite web|date=20 December 2009|title=Torvill & Dean (GBR) – 1980 Winter Games, Ice Dancing, Free Dance|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzeqrQGye_U |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/fzeqrQGye_U| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|access-date=17 October 2011|publisher=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}

|Puttin' On the Ritz

1981

|Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)

|Fame etc.{{cite web|date=24 April 2010|title=Torvill & Dean (GBR) – 1981 World Figure Skating Championships, Free Dance|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsOSQAJ7DTI |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/wsOSQAJ7DTI| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|access-date=17 October 2011|publisher=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}

|History of Love (version 1){{cite web|date=21 June 2009|title=1981 History Of Love Torvill and Dean|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dinMYVnpFlo&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL5A657F8D4C078C3E|url-status=dead|access-date=17 October 2011|publisher=YouTube|archive-date=10 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160110113109/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dinMYVnpFlo&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL5A657F8D4C078C3E}}

1982

|Summertime{{cite web|title=Torvill & Dean – 1982|url=http://www.torvillanddean.com/video82.html|access-date=17 October 2011|publisher=Torvillanddean.com|archive-date=2 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402093048/http://www.torvillanddean.com/video82.html|url-status=dead}}

|Mack and Mabel{{cite web|title=Torvill & Dean – 1983 Part 1|url=http://www.torvillanddean.com/video83_1.html|access-date=17 October 2011|publisher=Torvillanddean.com}}{{Dead link|date=October 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

|The Hop, Kiss Me Kate, Fast Tap

1983

|Rock n Roll

|Barnum{{cite web|title=Torvill & Dean – 1983 Part 2|url=http://www.torvillanddean.com/video83_2.html|access-date=17 October 2011|publisher=Torvillanddean.com|archive-date=31 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120131153450/http://torvillanddean.com/video83_2.html|url-status=dead}}

|Putting on the Ritz

1984

|Paso Doble

|Boléro{{cite web|title=Torvill & Dean – 1984 Part 2|url=http://www.torvillanddean.com/video84_2.html|access-date=17 October 2011|publisher=Torvillanddean.com|archive-date=2 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402093135/http://www.torvillanddean.com/video84_2.html|url-status=dead}}

|I Won't Send Roses{{cite web|date=4 January 2010|title=Torvill & Dean (GBR) – 1984 Sarajevo, Figure Skating, Exhibition (Encore)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSGMwwlHKfw |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/wSGMwwlHKfw| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|access-date=17 October 2011|publisher=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}

1994

|History of Love (version 2){{cite web|title=Torvill & Dean – 1994 Part 1|url=http://www.torvillanddean.com/video94_1.html|access-date=17 October 2011|publisher=Torvillanddean.com|archive-date=31 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120131153513/http://torvillanddean.com/video94_1.html|url-status=dead}}

|Let's Face the Music{{cite web|title=Torvill & Dean – 1994 Part 2|url=http://www.torvillanddean.com/video94_2.html|access-date=17 October 2011|publisher=Torvillanddean.com|archive-date=31 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120131153540/http://torvillanddean.com/video94_2.html|url-status=dead}}

|Boléro

In popular culture

Torvill was portrayed by Poppy Lee Friar in the 2018 biopic Torvill & Dean.

References

{{Reflist|30em|refs=

{{cite web | url = http://www.olympic.org/uk/athletes/heroes/bio_uk.asp?PAR_I_ID=77081 | title = Athlete Profile – Torvill | publisher = olympic.org | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20051230100836/http://www.olympic.org/uk/athletes/heroes/bio_uk.asp?PAR_I_ID=77081 | archive-date = 30 December 2005 | url-status = dead }}

{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/14/newsid_4156000/4156053.stm | title = 1984: British ice couple score Olympic gold | work = BBC News | date = 14 February 1984 }}

{{cite news | url = http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest_sporting/results.html | title = 100 Greatest Sporting Moments – Results | publisher = Channel 4 }}

{{cite news | url = http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-figureskating-sarajevo-idUKBREA1C22Y20140214 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160306153220/http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-figureskating-sarajevo-idUKBREA1C22Y20140214 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 6 March 2016 | title = Torvill & Dean relive Bolero 30 years on | first = Daria | last = Sito-Sucic | work = Reuters | date = 14 February 2014 }}

}}

External links

[http://www.torvillanddean.com/ Torvill & Dean official site]
{{Team GB}}
{{Olympics.com}}
{{Olympedia}}

Category:Living people

Category:1957 births

Category:20th-century English sportswomen

Category:BBC Sports Personality of the Year winners

Category:English female ice dancers

Category:English Olympic competitors

Category:European Figure Skating Championships medalists

Category:Figure skaters at the 1980 Winter Olympics

Category:Figure skaters at the 1984 Winter Olympics

Category:Figure skaters at the 1994 Winter Olympics

Category:Medalists at the 1984 Winter Olympics

Category:Medalists at the 1994 Winter Olympics

Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire

Category:Olympic bronze medallists for Great Britain

Category:Olympic figure skaters for Great Britain

Category:Olympic gold medallists for Great Britain

Category:Olympic medalists in figure skating

Category:People from Clifton, Nottinghamshire

Category:People from Heathfield, East Sussex

Category:Sportspeople from Nottinghamshire

Category:Sportspeople from Nottingham

Category:World Figure Skating Championships medalists

style="background-color: #ffdead; " colspan=4 align=center \| International
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Event ! 1971 ! 1972 ! 1973
align=left \| European Championships		18th
style="background-color: #ffdead; " colspan=4 align=center \| National
align=left \| British Championships	bgcolor=silver \| 2nd	bgcolor=gold \| 1st	bgcolor=silver \| 2nd

Jayne Torvill

Early life

Ice dance career

Personal life

Competitive results

= Pair skating with Hutchinson =

= Amateur results with Dean =

= Professional results with Dean =

Professional programmes

Amateur programmes

In popular culture

See also

References

External links