“NOT ENGLAND, NOT UK – AUSTRALIA IS WHERE WE FEEL MOST LOVED” – TORVILL & DEAN’S SPECIAL LOVE FOR THE LAND OF KANGABULARS

🧊 The Legend of the Ice Rink – and the Secret of Warmth in a Place Where There’s No Snow

When people think of Torvill & Dean , they immediately think of gold medals, the immortal “Boléro” 1984 , the Sarajevo Olympics and revolutionary ice art. But few people know that, beyond the glory, there is a place that has left the deepest mark on their hearts – and that place is not England.

“People think home is where the heart is. But for us, there is a second heart – and it is in Australia.”
– Christopher Dean shared in an emotional interview.

🦘 First time in Australia – and love comes from… a mobile skating rink in the middle of summer

When invited to perform in Australia in the early 90s, Torvill & Dean were hesitant : the country had no distinct winter, ice skating was not popular, and the geographical distance was too great.

But from the very first performance in Sydney, the audience was moved to tears .

“They were on their feet before the show ended. Not because of technique, but because they felt the story we were telling through each step,”
Jayne Torvill recalls.

And so… the “Torvill & Dean Down Under” event became a national phenomenon – tens of thousands of tickets sold out, and makeshift ice rinks were packed every night.

💞 Australia – where two artists are not only celebrated… but “understood”

Jayne and Chris have spoken many times about the “pressure of being a legend” in England – where everything they do is compared to “Boléro”.

“Every time we do it in the UK, people ask, ‘Is it going to be like 1984?’
In Australia, they just ask, ‘What story are you going to tell this time?’”

It was the artistic freedom and the unprejudiced reception from Australian audiences that kept Torvill & Dean coming back here again and again – despite having no titles to compete for, despite being past the age of competition.

🎭 Special affection for the Australian LGBTQ+ community: “You have given us a reason to continue”

Fun fact: Torvill & Dean have a huge following in Australia’s LGBTQ+ community. Their performances have been described as “a language that transcends gender and stereotypes” – a free, unspoken art form that everyone can relate to.

“One time, an Australian audience wrote me a letter saying, ‘Watching you guys skate, I no longer feel ashamed of who I am.’ I have kept that letter to this day,”
Dean said, choking up.

📚 They even considered… retiring in Australia

In a funny moment at the end of the interview, Jayne laughed and said:

“We thought: How about buying a house on the Queensland coast and… opening an ice skating class?”
– (We both laughed, but our eyes were filled with sweet regret)

Although their plans to retire to Australia did not materialise (due to family and post-Olympic work in the UK), they still keep in touch with many Australian friends, and regard each return trip as a spiritual pilgrimage.

💬 Conclusion: Not all medals are made of gold – there are “awards” that come from the heart

Torvill & Dean don’t need any more titles to prove their greatness. But it’s the love from a land without snow , the emotion that doesn’t need words from the Australian audience, that has become the most beautiful chapter of their performing life .

And for them, every time they step onto the ice in Sydney or Melbourne is no longer a performance – but an artistic thank you.