Iconic ice skating duo bid farewell at the venue where it all began

Skating legends Jayne Torvill & Christopher Dean are taking part in their ‘Last Dance’ and will be skating through Manchester’s AO Arena, the scene of their first show.

On the 14th of February, the iconic pair returned to Sarajevo to commemorate their historic gold medal-winning performance to Ravel’s Bolero at the 1984 Olympics.

The finale saw the athletes collapse on the ice and lay motionless in each other’s arms, sparking a standing ovation and perfect scores of 6.0 from the 12 judges.

40 years later, they have returned to Sarajevo to celebrate – and confirmed they will embark on one final UK tour next year.

Torvill & Dean at the AO Arena

It was there, on the 40th anniversary of that performance that they announced they will be retiring from skating together in Spring 2025.

‘Torvill & Dean: Our Last Dance’ UK Tour will be the last time that Jayne and Chris will perform on ice together, 50 years since they formed their incredible skating partnership – giving audiences one last chance to see and celebrate the iconic duo. 

And what better place to do that – than on your doorstep at the AO Arena?

Returning to Sarajevo

The pair were in Sarajevo to announce that this would be their last-ever tour on February 14th.

Following an invitation from the Mayor of Sarajevo to visit the city to mark the 40th anniversary of the Winter Olympics, Torvill & Dean took time to relive the memories four decades on of their iconic heart-stopping performance which had a UK television audience of 24 million people on the edge of their seats.

It became one of the greatest sporting moments of the 20th Century and set a new standard for world-class figure skating.

What Torvill & Dean had to say

Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean said: “Following the kind invitation from the Mayor, we are thrilled to be back in Sarajevo 40 years on from that memorable day.

“Returning to the city which provided such a life-changing moment for us is incredibly nostalgic and brings back so many wonderful memories.

“We’re also feeling very emotional as we announce our 2025 farewell tour: ‘Torvill & Dean: Our Last Dance’.

“Whilst we will continue to work together off the ice, this will be the final time we will skate together following our 50-year partnership.

“But not without celebrating one final time with all of our incredible fans across the UK, who have supported us constantly over many years.

“We promise to put on an amazing live show – and we hope to see you there!” 

Torvill & Dean are back on ITV1 every Sunday night, as Head Judges on the new series of Dancing on Ice.

You can get tickets to Torvil & Dean’s last-ever shows in Manchester on 2 – 4th May at the AO Arena by clicking here