DANCING on Ice’s Jayne Torvill and Christoper Dean have suffered an “almighty fall” ahead of this weekend’s finale.

The legendary skaters have been left “battered and bruised” by an accident in rehearsals for their first and only live performance of the series.

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Despite fears social distancing rules would prevent the duo from dancing this year, they secretly pre-recorded dances in a bubble before Christmas.

But on Sunday night’s live final the pair will reunite on the ice to entertain viewers.

Revealing on Good Morning Britain they had a nasty accident on the ice, Christopher said: “We took an almighty fall this week.

“I feel a bit battered and bruised.

“I caught an edge and went down.”

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Joking he’d thrown himself onto the ice to protect his partner Jayne, Christopher added: “I placed myself down and Jayne landed on me.

“I was a cushion for her, really. It was just my back that took the pressure.”

The Olympic gold-winning pair secretly pre-recorded dances before Christmas after moving in together.

This Sunday they will perform live for the first time after leaving their families to bubble up for the final.

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The duo’s accident is another blow to an already crisis-hit series.

In a year where the show was under pressure to maintain social distancing rules, the celebrity skaters have been hit by an unusually high number of injuries.

Bosses were forced to end the series early after a spate of injuries and Covid dropouts.

Producers took the decision to bring the ITV show’s final forward to March 14, rather than March 21, due to a lack of celebrities.

Bosses even had to call on both stand-in celebrities for the first time in the programme’s 13 year history.

Joe-Warren Plant, 18, and Rufus Hound, 41, both had Covid. Billie Shepherd, 31, Jason Donovan, 52, and Denise van O