Torvill & Dean say ‘it’s like coming home’ in Our Last Dance at Manchester’s AO Arena

The Olympic legends and Dancing On Ice judges prove they’ve still got it 40 years on from their career-defining moment

Torvill & Dean: Our Last Dance UK tour

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At the 1984 Winter Olympics, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean cemented their place in sporting history by achieving the highest scoring routine of all time. They also secured their position as national treasures, watched by millions on TV across the UK.

In the years since they’ve mesmerised audiences and inspired future ice skaters both on their tours and on our TV screens as judges on ITV’s Dancing on Ice.

Last February, on the 40th anniversary of their Olympic Gold-winning performance, they announced their final UK tour before retiring, giving fans one more chance to experience some of that Bolero magic first hand.

But the Torvill & Dean: Our Last Dance UK tour isn’t just a goodbye, as Jayne succinctly explains at the start of the show, “it’s a celebration”. With big songs, sequins and fabulous ice dancing – it really is.

The pair kicked off their three-nights at Manchester’ AO Arena on Friday May 2, nearly a week after Jayne took a tumble on the ice at BP Pulse Live Arena in Birmingham. However, there was no sign of any slip-ups during Manchester’s opening night and very much worthy of a perfect score.

Mixing archive footage and an on-screen discussion between Jayne and Chris; along with reenactments of their key performances and group dance sequences, the show is part documentary, part jukebox musical and part ice dancing spectacle.

It weaves the story of their ice skating career, going all the way back to the first time they took to the ice together (featuring a cameo from Dancing On Ice Judge Karen Barber, who was born in Manchester and skated at Altrincham Ice Rink growing up), to their time as judges on Dancing On Ice.

If you’re expecting a show purely featuring ice skating, think again, as a recorded conversation between Jayne and Chris is shown on screen between the performances, adding context to how they came about.

We learn about the influence the Russian circus, the West End and even Nottingham Radio’s music library all had on their routines over the years. Each topic is then merged seamlessly into the skating thanks to clever projections and props.

The duo take to the ice several times throughout the evening. Judging by the smiles on their faces it’s still something they take great joy in, savouring every moment.

Supporting them throughout are the ensemble cast of dancers, many of whom have appeared on Dancing On Ice, including Blackpool’s Dan Whiston. During several routines, Philip Warren, a skater from California, prompted gasps from the crowd with his daring backflips. We’re even treated to routines from ‘stars of the future’ as Jayne and Chris use their platform to help those who are just setting off on their skating journey.

The show celebrates the different genres of music and influences on the dancers. In one memorable performance Jayne and Chris reminisce about the music they would listen to on their ‘Walkman’ before they skated, and as they faded from the screen two dancers glided out to Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood.

In another mesmerising group performance the skaters glided effortlessly to the orchestral suite The Planets, which had formed part of their Olympic routine in 1984. All of the costumes were incredible, from cheeky cowboy outfits and circus clowns to glamourous sequined dresses.

Of course, there was one moment everyone was waiting for, like that chart-topping hit bands always roll out at the very end of the show. In this case, the Bolero.

The pair introduce it explaining why they chose it and how the arrangement came about, and then take to the ice themselves. By the end the audience was on their feet proving that after all these years they’ve still got it.