What’s next for Torvill and Dean? After skating duo announce Dancing On Ice exit – a look back at some of their most iconic moments on the show

Dancing On Ice judges Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean have confirmed they are hanging up their skates for good as they announced their retirement.

The British skating duo will embark on a final UK tour next year, which will be their swansong and mark 50 years since they formed their skating partnership in 1975.

Following their announcement of retirement, MailOnline takes a look back at the duo’s most famous moments on the show.

Read on for some of the duo’s most memorable moments together from nearly 20 years of presenting Dancing On Ice.

Performing on the second week of Dancing On Ice’s 2023 series, Jayne and Christopher wowed viewers with their performance set to Michael Buble’s hit Higher

Performing on the second week of Dancing On Ice’s 2023 series, Jayne and Christopher wowed viewers with their performance set to Michael Buble‘s hit Higher.

The pair made gliding across the ice while performing a series of extremely technical and challenging lifts and spins look utterly effortless.

The pair became international stars after receiving 12 perfect sixes while skating to Maurice Ravel’s Boléro at the Zetra Olympic Hall in Sarajevo at the 1984 Winter Olympic Games

They skated to victory at the Sarajevo Winter Olympics, which they recreated for its 40th anniversary in 2014

The pair became international stars after receiving 12 perfect sixes while skating to Maurice Ravel’s Boléro at the Zetra Olympic Hall in Sarajevo, prompting a standing ovation.

They skated to victory at the Sarajevo Winter Olympics, which they recreated for its 40th anniversary in 2014.

Their original performance was watched on television by 24million people in the UK and one month later they received an even better score at the World Championships.

Torvill and Dean steal limelight in 2021 Dancing On Ice final

Before Sonny Jay and Angela Egan were crowned the winners of the 2021 series, viewers were left in awe by an amazing rendition of Frank Sinatra’s Fly Me To The Moon

Before Sonny Jay and Angela Egan were crowned the winners of the 2021 series, viewers were left in awe by an amazing rendition of Frank Sinatra’s Fly Me To The Moon by Torvill and Dean.

They showed the 2021 programme’s finalists how to wow the crowd by giving a breathtaking performance to the legendary singer’s 1954 hit.

It came after five celebrities were forced to withdraw from that year’s show due to injury or positive Covid tests.

Although fans of the show were excited for its return in 2018, following a four-year hiatus from 2014, they were upset at the news that Torvill and Dean would seemingly not be able to perform on the ice.

Asking Jayne to stand up, Christopher grabbed his judging partner before the pair pulled off some dramatic arm-length poses.

Prior to the release of that year’s show, Christopher revealed they had been banned from skating on the ice, as the insurance on the pair was too high.

‘They haven’t insured us to go on the ice so they wouldn’t let us go on. I think it’s just a standard contract. I don’t get it,’ he told the Daily Star.

In their first routine of the Dancing On Ice series in 2020, the skating sensations, both in their early 60s at the time, amazed fans

In their first routine of the Dancing On Ice series in 2020, the skating sensations, both in their early 60s at the time, amazed fans with a series of lifts, spins and perfectly synchronised moves.

Performing to the Bill Withers hit Just The Two Of Us, Torvill and Dean showed off their talent for being perfectly in time and exuded confidence as they span around the rink.

Torvill looked incredible in a red leotard which plunged at the front with sparkling mesh which she paired with a red and pink skirt.

Dean looked equally stylish in burgundy trousers and a waistcoat and slicked his blonde locks back for the routine.

Singer Ray Quinn was hailed as ‘the best all-round skater’ to have ever appeared on the show by Christopher after he won the competition in 2009. Pictured on the show’s tour in 2018

Singer Ray Quinn was hailed as ‘the best all-round skater’ to have ever appeared on the show by Christopher after he won the competition in 2009.

After finishing victorious that year, and winning the spin-off Champion Of Champions series in 2014, Ray’s skills on the ice were given high praise by the judging duo.

Christopher said: ‘I believe he’s the best all-round skater we’ve ever had. An iconic moment was when he did the split jump. We’d never seen a celebrity achieve something like this on the show,’ in an interview with The Mirror.

Jayne added: ‘He’s a natural performer, he’s got skating skills and he’s very musical. He can sing, he can dance, he can do everything.’

Singling out Diversity star Perri Kiely’s backflip

Torvill and Dean singled out the acrobatics of Diversity star Perri Kiely after he performed a backflip during 2020’s live final

While there have been some spectacular manoeuvres to leave the judges and audience in shock, Torvill and Dean singled out the acrobatics of Diversity star Perri Kiely after he performed a backflip during 2020’s live final.

Christopher told The Mirror: ‘This was the first time we have seen one of our celebrities execute a backflip. But as Perri said, since he’s been in Diversity all he’s done is back flips. We worked for weeks getting him ready.’

Jayne enthused: ‘Perri is one of our best technical skaters and a natural talent. He had a great partnership with Vanessa and it was a joy to watch their performances.’

Gemma Collins’ fall that left her thinking her life ‘was over’

 
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In January 2019, Gemma Collins tripped onto the Dancing On Ice rink in an accident which left her temporarily wheelchair-bound

2019: Gemma Collins face planted on the ice at the end of the routine

In January 2019, Gemma Collins tripped onto the Dancing On Ice rink in an accident which left her temporarily wheelchair-bound and left the TV personality fearing her life ‘was over’.

Gemma fought back tears as she fell to the ground in the final moments of her routine and was whisked off to physiotherapy.

Recalling the incident, the media personality said: ‘I remember thinking, ”I’m nearly at the end, I haven’t fallen yet, this is a miracle, maybe I’ll stay in for one more week.”

‘I got so excited, I just went too over the top with my movement, which you’re not allowed to do in ice skating and my toe pick got caught – and bang.

‘I thought I was dead. I literally thought I was dead.’

The Diva Forever personality said her partner Matt, 43, encouraged her to recover from her fall as she elaborated: ‘And [pro partner] Matt was going: ‘Get up! Get up! Get up!’

‘And then I just got up and I was just like: ‘Oh no, my life’s over.”’

Speaking about the incident from a judge’s perspective, Jayne said: ‘Before she fell, it was one of her better performances of the series. She caught her toe pick but she got back up and finished her routine which is hugely commendable.’