It’s the end of an era. Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean are officially hanging up their skates now that the countdown to their retirement has begun.
The Olympic gold medal-winning couple performed their final performance on live television on Sunday, and once they’ve completed their upcoming arena tour, Our Last Dance, it’ll be the end of their skating journey.
Torvill and Dean announced their retirement last year and said at the time that it wasn’t going to affect their roles as judges.
But with recent reports that Dancing On Ice might be coming to an end, it makes it all the more poignant.
Opening up about their retirement in February last year, Christopher told the Mirror: “I think there comes a time when you know.
© PA Images via Getty Images“We’re not spring chickens any more, but we’re still able to do it to a certain degree that we feel good about it, but that will go.”
Now that Christopher is retiring, he’ll be spending much more time at home with his skating professional wife, Karen Barber….
The couple live a quiet life in a beautiful home in the Buckinghamshire countryside.
Although Christopher, 67, is private when it comes to his home life, he does occasionally post photographs of his charming country bolthole on his shared Instagram account with Jayne – and it looks to be the most magical place to enjoy retirement.
The skating star shared a photo of his lavish home gym in August last year, and the sprawling countryside views from the property would certainly help take the sting out of a hardcore workout.
“Up up and away in my beautiful balloon,” was the caption on a stunning countryside snap, which showed a chic al fresco lounge setup and perfectly manicured lawns.
If this is Christopher’s home view, the garden provides the most breathtaking view of the sunset.
The ice-skating star’s sprawling home also opens out onto the most idyllic gardens.
The Olympic skating medallist tends to keep the interiors of his home tightly under wraps, but a recent appearance on This Morning offered fans a glimpse of his living room.
It’s painted cream and furnished with a large cream sofa with a combination of cream and red cushions.
Who is Christopher Dean’s partner?
People often think that Christopher and his skating partner Jayne are a couple, but despite their long partnership, the pair have never dated.
Jayne has been married to her husband Phil Christensen since 1990, while Christopher has been in a relationship with Dancing on Ice head coach Karen Barber since 2011.
© GettyThe Dancing On Ice judge is also a father to two sons, Jack Robert, 27, and Sam Colin, 25, whom he shares with his second wife, Jill Trenary.
Christopher’s first wife was French-Canadian World ice dance champion Isabelle Duchesnay. The pair were married for two years between 1991 and 1993.
