Last Tuesday i arrived to the much anticipated opening night of the Dancing on Ice tour at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast. A friend and I strolled up the steps to Row R Each eagerly awaiting that familiar music. As much as i was very excited about the whole show there were two people that i was literally shaking in my seat to see. Those two legends from Nottingham who brought the art of Ice dancing into the lives of everyone in 1984. As they took to the ice for their free dance at the 1984 Olympics. The UK shut down for those 6 minutes , streets were deserted, all t.v's were turned on and even parliament took a break to see these two ice skaters glide into the record books and too start a media frenzy about their "fairytale romance". It was a dramatic , passionate and mesmerizing dance called Bolero.
Since then they have toured the world skating. They have won numerous gold medals and have been said to be "Perfection" by many people in the skating world and have now returned to the ice after 8 years apart to work on Itv's skating competition "Dancing On Ice". They have been entertaining people for over 30 years and still seem as close as ever. But what most people don't actually realise is that they are not married to each other and say as much as they do care very much about each other they are only "in love" on the ice. But most people including myself find this so hard to believe. 1984 sparked of so many rumours of their relationship. The first of which followed soon after their gold medal when it was rumoured Christopher Dean was seen looking at engagement rings days before stepping onto that podium as Olympic winner. Then off course as they were very close and there was no rumours or sightings of them having relationships with any other people so many concluded they must be seeing each other. Such rumours of them seemingly creeping across hotel corridors to each others rooms stories of them going on holidays together , even them living together when Jayne was injured which they later stated Chris had to even help Jayne undress all allowed reporters and the publics imagination run away with them.
But then everyone who wished for a fairytale ending for Torvill and Dean was served a sudden blow in 1990 when Jayne eloped to America and married Phil Christiansen (a sound engineer), whom she only knew for 6 months , in a registry office without Chris even attending. She then travelled back to train with Chris the next day. Months later Dean married Isabelle Duchesnay (French-Canadian skater). Deans marriage only lasted 2 years before another messy media frenzy ensued when Duchesnay sold her story to the papers saying Dean didn't know how to be a husband and the only time Jayne smiled at her was when she told her that herself and Dean were getting a divorce. At the same time Torvill and Dean were announcing their return to the 1994 Olympics.
By October 1994 Dean married a Canadian skater Jill Trenary. The Torvill and Dean fairytale seemingly ended there and then. Dean went on to have two children with Trenary and Torvill and her husband adopted two children after they retired in 1998. To many this was the end of an era until last year, when we seen the glorious return of this golden partnership.
And as they skated onto the ice in Belfast to an eruption of applause my world stopped for a matter of seconds to realise that i was watching two skating legends glide along the ice.
Their performances were just as mesmerizing as i imagined they would be. And after the lights went down and i snapped out of my Torvill and Dean bubble to the sounds of people scrambling outside, i quickly grabbed my camera and my friend and dodged through the crowds to get outside into the cold where we trapped a programme seller to see where the cast were going to exit. After getting some directions we dashed down round the corner knocking over small children with fairy wings on as we found the beginnings of the gates. We scrambled up onto the wall and just got everything in order before the cast started to come out. Lisa Scott-Lee, Claire Buckfield, Duncan James , Stefan Booth all came out very willing to sign autographs and have photos taken before leaving on the coach but as exciting as it was to see them i was waiting quite impatiently for Torvill and Dean.
Finally Dean appeared in front of me and all i could do was grin. I went completely starstruck and had to leave my friend to explain how great i thought they were until i finally mustered the courage to answer his question did i enjoy the show to which i could only reply "Hell yeah". That's all i could say to skating royalty! After laughing he moved on so i could finally snap out of it in time to get a snap of him signing some programmes. Shortly afterwards a much more quiet and dare i say slightly more uncomfortable Torvill. Who only stopped with a couple of people including my self to sign some things including a cardboard sign from a child with "I love Jayne Torvill on it " (Bless!) After Dean coming to ask her to come with him to the coach she thankfully turned round so i could get a quick snap of the other half of this perfect skating partnership.
And now i flick through these pictures ,these pictures which i apparently took , still in shock that i met Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean. And all i can do is smile and try and lock the memories of May 1st within my soul forever .
The song by Drag act Verka Serdyuchka, was pure genius and had all the key ingredients for a great Eurovision song ; crap but easy to remember lyrics, comedy and shiny outfits
