JAYNE TORVILL and Christopher Dean are hanging up their skates after half a century as a partnership.
The Olympic legends and Dancing On Ice stars will bring the curtain down on their glittering career next year in a farewell tour.
Professionals and celebrities from the ITV1 series are expected to join them.
The pair, both in their sixties, want to bow out while they are still able to perform their gold-winning 1984 Bolero routine.
This week, they returned to Sarajevo to announce their retirement, four decades after they delivered the epic performance there in the Winter Olympics.
Christopher said: “It’s been 50 years and the body won’t allow us to keep doing it too much. We felt there was one tour left in us where we can go out and be nostalgic.”
Jane added: “We’re lucky we can still perform to a level we’re happy with, considering our age and how many years we’ve put our bodies through training.”
‘We were chuffed’
The 28-date UK tour will begin in April 2025, at London’s Ovo Arena in Wembley.
But once it ends, they will concentrate on enjoying retirement.
And while Jane plans to soak up the sun and play tennis with husband Phil Christensen in her second home in Spain, Christopher has less glamorous plans.
He says: “My partner Karen has always wanted a motorhome so we’re going to go motorhoming.
The father of two added: “I had one when I lived in America. It was 31ft long, and it was a nightmare, but my kids loved it.
“This will be a lot smaller and we want to drive around the UK, especially Scotland, because we haven’t seen a lot of it.”
He and Jane will also be able to look back fondly at their achievements.
Jane says: “We were just two kids from Nottingham who wanted to get to their first competition, then the British Championships.
“In 1980 we were chuffed just to get into the Olympic team, but we carried on and won it four years later and that’s opened so many opportunities for us.”
- Torvill & Dean: Our Last Dance UK Tour, April 12 – May 11 2025. See TorvillandDean.com for tickets.
Al back in the picture
ALAN CARR will be back for a second helping of his quiz show Picture Slam.
Following the success of the first series, which launched on BBC One in September, applications have opened for another run that is due to hit our screens later this year.
Across ten episodes, competitors will be given the chance to take home the £10,000 jackpot by identifying as many pictures as they can in a battle against the clock.
Alan said: “I am over the moon that Picture Slam is coming back.
“I love the show so much, and I’m bowled over by how popular it has become.
“It’s manic, a little random and full of fun – it’s like if I was a quiz show. Let’s do it all over again.”
Filming for the new series will kick off in Glasgow in late April, with applications closing on March 31.
GRACE actor John Simm and Citadel’s Nikki Amuka-Bird have teamed up with Gentleman Jack actress Gemma Jones in a new drama for Alibi, scheduled for next year.
The six-part crime series I, Jack Wright, delves into the life and death of a businessman who leaves his family in disarray.
Angela’s at home on radio
ANGELA SCANLON has waltzed off the Strictly Come Dancing floor and straight into a radio role this week.
She spent the weekend performing her final show of the Strictly Live Tour at London’s O2 Arena, alongside professional dance partner Carlos Gu.
But for the new job, Angela swapped television cameras for a mic and sound booth.
The Your Home Made Perfect presenter, who competed in last year’s Strictly TV series, headed into Virgin Radio to take the afternoon hot seat yesterday.
She will fill the 1pm until 4pm slot until Friday.
She told her fans: “I’m back on the radio, with my watermelon tattoos and oil burns from my fry-up yesterday. But I’m in, so get in touch.”
Jaz on trail of Agatha
TRAITORS runner-up Jaz Singh is going in search of the Agatha Christie story – after revealing he didn’t have a clue who the crime writer was.
He was nicknamed Jazatha Christie for his sleuthing skills on BBC One show but shocked viewers by drawing a blank on the famous author.
That’s all about to change on ITV’s This Morning on Friday when he travels down to her former home in Torquay, Devon.
He said: “Jazatha Christie has really got me thinking, could this be the start of something new? Following The Traitors and witnessing the craze on social media, I can only thank the fans of the show to present such an opportunity.
“I’ve been overwhelmed with the responses and messages about it.
“I was so honoured and humbled to be associated with the absolute icon, although I still can’t believe I didn’t know who she was.
“To have this chance to understand the history behind the legend was immensely fascinating. I hope This Morning viewers learn as much as I did.”
