Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean swap Dancing On Ice for Emmerdale with cameo
It's been eight months since Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean last glided out on the ice together.
Jayne has been undergoing surgery for a bicep tendon injury so what better Christmas present than a chance to get back on the rink with her best friend and partner.
This time though, it’s not the Dancing on Ice studio or the Olympic stage, though it is an equally chilly setting: the Yorkshire Dales. The pair are bringing some festive magic to soap opera Emmerdale, and viewers will see them help young Belle Dingle propose to boyfriend Tom King... on ice.
It’s surreal but emotional, as Torvill and Dean treat the Emmerdale viewers to their legendary Bolero.
In March Jayne, 66 ruptured a bicep tendon while rehearsing with Chris, 65, for their dance in the final of the last series. She had surgery to reattach the tendon, which entailed inserting a small piece of metal into her arm.
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“We hadn’t skated together for eight months until today. ” says Jayne, as we watch them film at Planet Ice in Leeds.
“So this is the first day in a long time we’ve done a routine together. I got a bit teary. I’m usually known as a stoneheart but I was just so excited.” Jayne and Chris first skated together in 1975, and regularly since, but Jayne’s injury combined with Chris working overseas forced them to take this particularly lengthy break.
Emmerdale star James Chase and Chris in showNot that you would realise. They still have that famous grace that won them gold at the 1984 Winter Olympics. Now, however, they and Dancing on Ice coach Karen Barber have just two days to help Emmerdale’s Belle (Eden Taylor Draper) go from a novice to being able to skate and act simultaneously. They’re not expecting Bolero level, but she’s already looking like a surprising candidate for DOI 2025.
“Considering she hasn’t skated before, she’s showing a lot of flair,” says Chris. “I think she only had two hours of practice yesterday.”
Torvill and Dean are playing themselves in the soap, as Belle organises for them to surprise Tom (James Chase), a huge figure skating superfan, before she pops the question. Eden says filming the proposal scene is “one of the best days I’ve ever had at work” – and has a family significance for her.
The 26-year-old actress, who has been dating boyfriend Ed Lewis for eight years, explains: “My mum actually proposed to my dad. My dad had asked my mum loads of times but she kept saying ‘No, not yet’. And then my dad stopped asking – so my mum had to ask him!”
Eden and James rehearsingAnd though she recently captioned a picture of them together “I wanna spend my life with you,” she won’t be following suit. “I wouldn’t want the pressure,” she explains. Of the upcoming plot, Chris says: “We are very excited. My partner Karen is an avid fan.” Jayne adds, “Yes! Karen knows everything. If I miss an episode, I can ask Karen. ”
Their cameo is all thanks to Mark Charnock, who plays Marlon Dingle, after meeting them at an ITV party. Chris says: “Mark said to us you two should do something in Emmerdale! The producer Jane Hudson was there, and she said ‘yeah, we can make that happen."
Belle and Tom in Xmas antlersThe Emmerdale scriptwriters cooked up a storyline where the duo agree
to help Belle as a favour to wedding planner Leyla Harding, played by Roxy Shahidi. Chuckling, Chris adds: “Apparently, we might be in picture frames on Tom and Belle’s mantelpiece and in The Woolpack so look out for that.”
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Roxy’s getting help from the Olympic legends in real life too. She is on Dancing On Ice, which starts in January. The actress and part-time yoga teacher is the latest in a string of Emmerdale stars on the ice.
Joe-Warren Plant did a stint in 2021 before testing Covid-positive. Gaynor Faye and Matthew Wolfenden are both past winners. Jayne says: “All Emmerdale actors we’ve had on have all been good. Joe was great. It’s very sad. We had him tipped to make the final.” Chris jokes: “I think Roxy was showing off a little bit earlier! She is a performer. We think she will do well.”
Eden Taylor-Draper, James Chase, Mirror's Sanjeeta, Christopher Dean and Jayne TorvillJayne and Chris can’t quite believe the next series will be DOI’s 16th. “We didn’t think we’d still be here doing the show,” says Jayne, 66. “We’ve been doing Dancing on Ice longer than we were doing our competitive career!” adds Chris.
Before they worry about that ITV institution, they first must wrap up their scenes for this one. And where better to celebrate than by stopping for a pint at The Woolpack? “We have some filming to do there,” says Chris. “But we have been promised real beer!”
Better get their skates on – or rather, off – before it’s gone.
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