Dancing On Ice star Jayne Torvill’s reason for not pursuing romance with Christopher Dean

Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean have spent more than 50 years working together, but say many people question their relationship together

Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean once shared a kiss as teenagers, but never pursued a relationship (Image: ITV)

Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean have opened up about their relationship together and why they never pursued a romantic relationship.

The pair began skating together when they were teenagers in 1975. But they became household names after winning the gold medal at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo in the former Yugoslavia.

The pair have remained close friends and professional partners ever since. And while they retired from competitive skating in 1998, were coaxed out of retirement to become coaches on Dancing on Ice.

They credit their close bond as an integral part of working together, with Dean saying they are “best friends”. They do admit however that there can be “some confusion” over their relationship, with the duo even once reportedly sharing a kiss together.

During an appearance on The Jess Rowe Big Talk Show podcast, the pair were asked if they shared a kiss as teens. Torvill said: “We may have. I don’t know

Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean have skated together for 50 years. (Image: Getty Images)

“I think we were very conscious [that] other partnerships were in a relationship and the relationship would finish and then the partnership would end.

“We were very conscious, and I think one of my coaches had mentioned that to me before with a previous partner and you do see good partnerships ending because their personal lives don’t work.

“We never wanted that. We wanted our focus to be on skating.”

Dean added that the pair are “obviously not brother and sister” but are “very close”. He added: “We’re best friends.

The pair won gold in 1984 with the Bolero (Image: AP/PA)SUBSCRIBE

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“We work together, we have a business together, a business together, but it never feels like a business. We rely on each other.”

Torvill and Dean have acted as head judges on Dancing on Ice since series 10 in 2018 – originally joining the show as coaches in 2006. This series they are judging the likes of ex-EastEnders actress Charlie Brooks, Olympic legend Steve Redgrave and Springwatch star Michaela Strachan.

However, the pair have announced they will be hanging up their skates this year. Torvill told sport magazine Prima: “Retirement gives you the chance to try other things you’ve not had the chance to do. I’m not quite there yet, thinking I will have that freedom, because I know there’s a lot of work ahead.

Torvill and Dean are preparing for their final tour titled Torvill & Dean: Our Last Dance. It runs from April 12 to May 11. The next episode of Dancing on Ice airs tonight (Sunday, January 26) at 6.25pm.