Jayne Torvill

Jayne Torvill, OBE (born 7 October 1957) is a British professional ice dancer and former competitor. With Christopher Dean, she won a gold medal at the 1984 Winter Olympics and a bronze medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics, becoming one of the oldest figure skating Olympic medalists.

Jayne Torvill
OBE
Torvill on the Dancing on Ice tour in Manchester, 2010
Born (1957-10-07) 7 October 1957
Clifton, Nottingham, England
Height5 ft 2.5 in (1.59 m)[1]
Figure skating career
Country Great Britain
Retired1984, 1994
Medal record
Figure skating
Ice dancing
Representing  Great Britain
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 1994 LillehammerIce dancing
Gold medal – first place 1984 SarajevoIce dancing
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1984 OttawaIce dancing
Gold medal – first place 1983 HelsinkiIce dancing
Gold medal – first place 1982 CopenhagenIce dancing
Gold medal – first place 1981 HartfordIce dancing
European Championships
Gold medal – first place1994 CopenhagenIce dancing
Gold medal – first place1984 BudapestIce dancing
Gold medal – first place1982 LyonIce dancing
Gold medal – first place1981 InnsbruckIce dancing

Early life

Torvill was born in Clifton, Nottingham, England, and grew up in Nottingham. She attended Clifton Hall Girls' Grammar School and worked in the city as an insurance clerk at Norwich Union.[2]

Ice skating
See also: Torvill and Dean § Careers

She became hooked on ice skating at the age of 8 following an after-school trip to the local ice rink. In 1971 at age 14 Torvill became the British National Pairs Champion with her then-partner Michael Hutchinson.

After parting from Hutchinson, Torvill continued to skate on her own for a while before teaming up with Christopher Dean in 1975. On placing 5th in the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York, Dean gave up his job as a policeman and Torvill gave up hers as an insurance clerk to skate together full-time.

Torvill and Dean performing in 2011

Torvill and Dean's free programme at the 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics, performed to the music of Maurice Ravel's Boléro, became world-famous. They received twelve perfect 6.0 marks, one of five occasions they were awarded all perfect scores for artistic impression. It was one of the most popular achievements in the history of British sport, watched by a British television audience of 24 million people.[3][4] Since the time limit was four minutes and ten seconds and their music was four minutes 28 seconds, they began on their knees and moved their bodies to the music for 18 seconds before starting to skate.[5][6]

Torvill and Dean turned professional after their 1984 Olympic win and under then existing Olympic Committee rules their professional status made them ineligible to compete in the Olympics again. However, in 1993 the International Skating Union relaxed the rules for professional skaters, allowing the pair to participate in the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer where they won a bronze medal.

Torvill took a seven-year break from skating from 1998 to 2005.[7] In January 2006, she and Dean began starring in the ITV show Dancing on Ice. Each year, the show runs from January to March and then goes on tour to arenas across the United Kingdom. In November 2011, Torvill said, "the standard each year has gotten higher and higher, which is exciting for us – to think what we can achieve with people who have never skated or are relatively unknown to skating."[7]

Torvill and Dean were ambassadors for the 2012 European Figure Skating Championships in Sheffield, England.[8] In February 2014, Torvill and Dean visited Sarajevo for the 30th anniversary of the 1984 Olympics, and recreated their Bolero routine in the same arena where they won the gold.[9]

Competitive results

Pair skating with Hutchinson
International
Event 1971 1972 1973
European Championships18th
National
British Championships2nd1st2nd

Amateur results with Dean
Event 75–76 76–77 77–78 78–79 79–80 80–81 81–82 82–83 83–84 93–94
Olympics 5th 1st 3rd
Worlds 11th 8th 4th 1st 1st 1st 1st
Europeans 9th 6th 4th 1st 1st WD 1st 1st
British Championships 4th 3rd 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st
NHK Trophy 2nd
St Ivel International 1st 1st
Oberstdorf 2nd 1st
St Gervais 1st
Morzine Trophy 2nd
John Davis Trophy 1st
Sheffield Trophy 1st
Rotary Watches Competition 2nd
Northern Championships 1st
WD: Withdrew

Professional results with Dean
Event 1984 1985 1990 1994 1995 1996
World Professional Championships 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st
Challenge of Champions 1st 1st 1st
World Team Championship 3rd 1st 1st

Professional programmes
See also: Torvill_and_Dean § The professional years 1984–1998
1984 1985 1990 1994 1995 1996
World Professional Championships Song of India, Encounter Diablo Tango, Venus Oscar Tango, Revolution / Imagine Encounter Still Crazy After All These Years, Cecilia Take Five, Hat Trick
Challenge of Champions Echoes of Ireland Still Crazy After All These Years, Cecilia Take Five, Hat Trick
World Team Championships Let's Face the Music, Encounter Bridge Over Troubled Water, Cecilia Sarabande, Hat Trick

Amateur programmes
OSP/ORD Free Dance Exhibitions
1978 The Great Waldo Pepper
1979 Masquerade Slaughter on Tenth Avenue[10] Evergreen[11]
1980 A Little Street in Singapore Sing Sing Sing etc.[12] Puttin' On the Ritz
1981 Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White) Fame etc.[13] History of Love (version 1)[14]
1982 Summertime[15] Mack and Mabel[16] The Hop, Kiss Me Kate, Fast Tap
1983 Rock n Roll Barnum[17] Putting on the Ritz
1984 Paso Doble Boléro[18] I Won't Send Roses[19]
1994 History of Love (version 2)[20] Let's Face the Music[21] Boléro[18]

Personal life

Torvill currently resides in Heathfield, East Sussex, England,[22] with her husband Phil Christensen and their adopted children Kieran and Jessica.[23]

In 2021 Torvill took part in an episode of DNA Journey where she found out she was related to footballer Charlie Bicknell, a cousin on her mother's side.[24]

Torvill was portrayed by Poppy Lee Friar in the 2018 biopic Torvill & Dean.

See also

References
  1. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Jayne Torvill]". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 23 May 2015.
  2. Piers Morgan's Life Stories, 8 March 2013
  3. "1984: British ice couple score Olympic gold". BBC News. 14 February 1984.
  4. "100 Greatest Sporting Moments – Results". Channel 4.
  5. "Athlete Profile – Torvill". olympic.org. Archived from the original on 30 December 2005.
  6. "Christopher Dean and Jayne Torvill: how we made Boléro". the Guardian. 22 April 2014. Archived from the original on 22 February 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  7. Elfman, Lois (28 November 2011). "Torvill and Dean prepare for return of 'Dancing'". Ice Network. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
  8. Williams, Ollie (3 January 2012). "Torvill and Dean could return to help British ice skaters". Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  9. Sito-Sucic, Daria (14 February 2014). "Torvill & Dean relive Bolero 30 years on". Reuters.
  10. "Torvill & Dean (GBR) – 1979 World Figure Skating Championships, Ice Dancing, Free Dance". YouTube. 21 April 2010. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  11. "Torvill & Dean Evergreen". YouTube. 5 January 2010. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  12. "Torvill & Dean (GBR) – 1980 Winter Games, Ice Dancing, Free Dance". YouTube. 20 December 2009. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  13. "Torvill & Dean (GBR) – 1981 World Figure Skating Championships, Free Dance". YouTube. 24 April 2010. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  14. "1981 History Of Love Torvill and Dean". YouTube. 21 June 2009. Archived from the original on 10 January 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  15. "Torvill & Dean – 1982". Torvillanddean.com. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  16. "Torvill & Dean – 1983 Part 1". Torvillanddean.com. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  17. "Torvill & Dean – 1983 Part 2". Torvillanddean.com. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  18. "Torvill & Dean – 1984 Part 2". Torvillanddean.com. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  19. "Torvill & Dean (GBR) – 1984 Sarajevo, Figure Skating, Exhibition (Encore)". YouTube. 4 January 2010. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  20. "Torvill & Dean – 1994 Part 1". Torvillanddean.com. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  21. "Torvill & Dean – 1994 Part 2". Torvillanddean.com. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  22. Heathfield: The East Sussex market town home to Dancing on Ice star Jayne Torvill Retrieved 28/4/21.
  23. "What is the real-life story behind ITV's Torvill and Dean biopic?". Radio Times. 25 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  24. Jefferies, Mark (22 April 2022). "Dancing On Ice's Jayne Torvill lost for words as she makes family discovery". mirror.

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