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Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The greatest showmance! As Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean retire, how their intense bond sparked years of romance rumours - despite both marrying other people
Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean have performed for the last time together after retiring from ice skating, four decades on from their gold win at the 1984 Winter Olympics. They've long impressed audiences with their sizzling chemistry and tactile performances before winning a new legion of fans as the faces of ITV 's Dancing On Ice. But throughout their impressive career, there has been long-standing speculation as to the nature of their relationship. Both the British skaters are in committed relationships; Jayne, 67, has been wed to Phil Christiansen since 1990, and Christopher, 66, was married twice before beginning a relationship with Dancing On Ice co-star Karen Barber in 2011. Yet fans have often believed their is more to the bond - particularly after the pair shared a smooch during their trip to Sarajevo in 2024, to commemorate 40 years since winning gold at the 1984 games held in Bosnia and Herzegovina's capital. The duo appeared to get caught up in the Valentine's Day spirit as they kissed while performing the sultry Bolero routine which snagged them the medals four decades ago. They've also both admitted in the past that they shared a one-time kiss as teenagers - and considered being together when they were younger - but ultimately decided to put their careers first. On Saturday, the pair performed for the final time together in their hometown of Nottingham after embarking on the UK leg of their farewell tour, Torvill And Dean: Our Last Dance, in April. With choreography filled with barely-there pecks and longing looks, it's perhaps unsurprising that fans have long speculated that more than just friendship resides in their partnership. Plus the skaters are evidently used to being in each other's arms, often squaring up close to one another and cuddling up for photos. Yet Christopher and Jayne have only 'crossed the line' in their relationship once, when they were younger, according to the pair themselves, and never slept together. Christopher told the High Performance podcast in 2024: 'When we were younger, we were sort of, for a minute [crossed a line], but it didn't last very long. ' I think we just eventually got into that place where we knew that we were the best of friends. I think that mutual friendship has got us to this point now, 50 years later.' Jayne added: 'Quite often we get asked, "What's the secret of your friendship, relationship?"... we never got married,' before Christopher insisted: 'Don't sleep with each other.' However, Christopher has previously explained that their 'unique' relationship is 'not like brother and sister' nor like 'husband and wife'. 'We still have a great spark and chemistry,' Jayne added in the interview with the Mirror. 'And we enjoy each other's company but we have other partners as well.' Fans have often believed their is more to the pair's bond - particularly after the pair shared a smooch during their trip to Sarajevo in 2024 (pictured), to commemorate 40 years since winning gold at the 1984 games held in Bosnia and Herzegovina's capital The pair have often teased a kiss as part of their routine choreography on the ice. Pictured performing when they were younger The pair became international stars after receiving 12 perfect sixes while skating to Maurice Ravel's Boléro at the Zetra Olympic Hall in Bosnia and Herzegovina, prompting a standing ovation. It was watched on television by 24 million people in the UK and one month later they received an even better score at the World Championships. But suspicions about their relationship were roused as soon as they snagged the gold medal - and despite both being in respective relationships, their affectionate performances on the ice have continued to spark romance rumours. One of Christopher's exes even previously hit out that their marriage had a third person in it. His first wife, Isabelle Duchesnay, was famously jealous of Jayne and referred to her as the 'other woman' in their marriage. 'I think that's where Princess Diana got her remark about three people in her marriage from!' Christopher previously joked. 'The trouble was Isabelle didn't want me to go on skating.' Jayne continued. 'That was a bit selfish of her.' Speaking to the Mirror, Christopher also revealed that while the sporting pair seriously considered trying to have a relationship together when they were younger, they ultimately decided to put their careers first. 'We got close but at some point realised that we weren't going to make a relationship off the ice in terms of a romantic one,' he said. 'We had seen a lot of partnerships fail. The skating was everything and having a relationship just didn't occur to us.' The pair have over the years also insisted that beyond everything, they are great friends. In 2014, Christopher told The Sun newspaper: 'I don't think we've ever, ever had a falling out. Not a real one.' But in an interview with Radio Times, Jayne revealed that one reporter asked Christopher after their historic win when he was planning on getting married. 'And he said, "Not yet!",' she explained. 'And that was it – there were reports that we were going to get married. I thought, "Oh no! Why did you say that?".' She also told the outlet that the couple did share a kiss - once, when they were teenagers and before the start of their partnership. 'We were in the back of the bus going to a league match, and it just happened. It was a one-off. We never talked about it afterwards. We laugh about it now,' she explained. 'Chris comes out with things without filtering them, and on Piers Morgan's Life Stories he said, "We dabbled." So that's what it is now – Dabblegate. It was a kiss!' After the 12 perfect sixes that won gold in Sarajevo they went professional, then a decade later decided to go amateur again and compete in the Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. But they only won bronze and there was a national outcry against the judges' decision. 'It was a case of: can we still do it?' Christopher told the Daily Mail. 'We were older and physically we were fitter because of performing professionally,' Jayne added. 'There was a problem with other skaters coming up and reaching their peak, and it was like: 'Why are they coming back?' The others looked at us oddly.' 'The judges had their own champions,' Christopher continued. 'The USSR had just split into all these smaller countries. 'On the panel of nine, five would be from those countries and guess who they wanted to vote for? The atmosphere with the judges wasn't great. The writing was on the wall before we went out there.' The duo both started skating when they were children - Jayne was eight and Christopher was ten. Jayne has said that she recalls seeing her future partner whizzing across the ice in 1971 - when she was 14 - and nicknaming him the 'Blond Prince'. However they officially met at a Nottingham ice-rink when Christopher was still a 16-year-old police cadet and Jayne was an insurance clerk. Both were skating solo for some time, but by 1975, coach Janet Sawbridge decided to try and see what their chemistry could be like together. To this day, their lasting closeness with one another has proven to be a hit with the public. Their infamous non-romance has even been recreated for the screen in a passionate 2018 biopic. 'The whole world wants to know if we were in love,' Jayne told the Daily Mail in 2008. However, the duo are both in committed long-term relationships. Jayne has been wed to Phil Christiansen since 1990, and Christopher was married to American skater Jill Trenary from 1994 to 2010. He has been in a relationship with ice dancer Karen Barber since 2011. Following the end of their competitive career, Torvill and Dean started coaching and choreographing and regularly toured, before becoming the faces of ITV's reality show Dancing on Ice in 2006. The show went on hiatus in 2014 and when it was revived in 2018 they returned as head judges before announcing their retirement from skating together in 2024, and their farewell tour. Following the end of their competitive career, Torvill and Dean started coaching and choreographing and regularly toured, before becoming the faces of ITV's reality show Dancing on Ice in 2006. Pictured on Dancing on Ice in 2014 They performed their tour, Torvill and Dean: Our Last Dance, from April 12 to May 11, 2025 with dates in London, Belfast, Newcastle and Glasgow. 'I think there comes a time when you know,' said Christopher before the tour. 'We're not spring chickens anymore but we're still able to do it to a certain degree that we feel good about it but that will go. 'So, I think this is the right time for us to be able to do that and go and skate and do some of the old routines, be very nostalgic, but then do some new fun, upbeat (dances) with friends of ours from the skating world and from Dancing On Ice.' Following their final performance together, Christopher said: 'The performance went well and the audience were amazing and so, for us, to be able to bow out on a high like that was wonderful.' Asked if it had been emotional, he said: 'These last four performances here in Nottingham, the early ones were quite emotional and I think I sort of got that out of me, and tonight, it was a high. 'We enjoyed it so much. The skating was good from our point of view, but the audience were phenomenal. They were the best audience ever.' Jayne, meanwhile, said: 'I think we'll miss it. When you've done all these shows like this, and you're suddenly home, not doing anything, you miss that adrenaline rush and you miss the excitement of being on the ice, whether it's a practice session or a performance.' The sportswoman promised they would be working on other projects but said they will not be skating on the ice together.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Skating legends Torvill and Dean sign off with a final performance of the iconic Bolero that won them gold at the 1984 Olympics
Torvill and Dean have hung up their skates for the last time after a final performance of Bolero on Saturday. Christopher Dean, 66, said it had been 'wonderful' to 'bow out on a high' with his ice dancing partner Jayne Torvill, 67. The Dancing on Ice duo took their place in British sporting history when they won gold at the 1984 Winter Games ice skating to Ravel's Bolero at the Zetra Olympic Hall in Sarajevo. The pair confirmed their retirement from skating together in 2024, 40 years on from their Olympic success. In April, they embarked on the UK leg of their farewell tour, Torvill And Dean: Our Last Dance, which culminated with four performances in their home town of Nottingham. Following their final performance together, Dean said: 'The performance went well and the audience were amazing and so, for us, to be able to bow out on a high like that was wonderful.' Asked if it had been emotional, he added: 'These last four performances here in Nottingham, the early ones were quite emotional and I think I sort of got that out of me, and tonight, it was a high.' 'We enjoyed it so much. The skating was good from our point of view, but the audience were phenomenal. They were the best audience ever.' Torvill, 67, said: 'I think we'll miss it. When you've done all these shows like this, and you're suddenly home, not doing anything, you miss that adrenaline rush and you miss the excitement of being on the ice, whether it's a practice session or a performance.' She added that they would continue to work together on other projects but said they will not be skating on the ice together. Posting a video of their last dance together, the pair said the performance would 'forever be in our hearts'. The pair became household names after their gold medal-winning performance at the Sarajevo Winter Olympics in 1984. They became the highest-scoring figure skaters of all time for a single programme. They also had success at the World, European and British Championships and returned to the Winter Games at Lillehammer in Norway in 1994 where they won bronze. After they bowed out from competitive skating, they branched out into touring, coaching and choreographing before becoming the faces of celebrity competition show Dancing On Ice, which ran from 2006 until 2014. When the show was revived in 2018 they became head judges until earlier this year when ITV announced it would be rested. Last week, the Olympic gold medallists unveiled a newly updated tram in their name to celebrate 50 years of dancing together. While a rink at the National Ice Centre was also officially named after them and a blue plaque marking their final performance together at the centre was revealed.
Zawya
5 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) Participates in Global Conference on Ethical Finance and Sustainable Growth
The International University of Sarajevo (IUS), in strategic partnership with the Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) ( and in collaboration with esteemed institutions including the University of Dundee (UK), Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University (Türkiye), INCEIF University (Malaysia), and the Center for Advanced Studies (Bosnia and Herzegovina), successfully hosted the international conference 'Values for Impact: Ethical Finance, Innovation, and Sustainable Growth.' The event, held at the IUS Campus in Sarajevo from 18-19 June 2025, was supported by platinum sponsor Kuveyt Türk Katılım Bankası and BH Telecom, which sponsored a key panel on artificial intelligence. The conference was inaugurated by IUS Rector, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Yıldırım, who highlighted its global significance, stating, 'This conference represents a pivotal moment for global collaboration, uniting diverse perspectives to advance ethical finance and sustainable development, aligning with IUS's commitment to fostering innovation and moral responsibility in economic systems.' Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem, Acting Director General of IsDBI, delivered a keynote address, articulating a bold vision for Islamic finance. He stated: 'Islamic finance offers the blueprint for aligning finance with markets, technology with values, and innovation with sustainability. As the world desperately seeks a new paradigm, we must rise to the challenge and contribute to a better future that we all aspire to. The path ahead will not be easy. But the mission is worth the journey.' Dr. Ahmet Albayrak, Executive Vice President of Kuveyt Türk Katılım Bankası and Patron of the IUS Center for Islamic Finance, Innovation, and Sustainability, emphasized the importance of uniting global thought leaders to strengthen the moral and digital foundations of economic systems. One of the highlights of the conference was the participation of three distinguished recipients of the Islamic Development Bank Prize in Islamic Economics: Dr. Mehmet Asutay, Professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic Political Economy&Finance, Durham University Business School, UK Dr. Mohammad Kabir Hassan, Professor of Economics and Finance, University of New Orleans, USA Dr. Habib Ahmed, Sharjah Chair in Islamic Law and Finance, Durham University Business School, UK These luminaries enriched discussions with their expertise, offering profound insights into the intersection of ethics, innovation, and finance. Over 160 participants from more than 20 countries, including academics, industry leaders, policymakers, and representatives of international organizations, engaged in dynamic sessions exploring topics such as Islamic fintech, sustainable investment, and the moral foundations of economic systems. Notable sessions included 'Reviving the Moral Foundations of Economic Life,' 'Islamic FinTech for Inclusive and Ethical Futures,' and 'Green Waqf: Islamic Sustainable Solutions to Climate Change.' A special parallel session, led by Dr. Beebee Salma Sairally, Editor of the International Journal of Islamic Finance and Sustainable Development (a jointly produced journal by IsDBI and INCEIF), provided valuable guidance on publishing in peer-reviewed journals. The conference is expected to pave the way for Bosnia and Herzegovina to become an intellectual hub for the development of Islamic economics and finance in the region and to contribute to the national and regional sustainable development agenda. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI). Social media handles: X (Twitter): Facebook: LinkedIn: About the Islamic Development Bank Institute: The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) is the knowledge beacon of the Islamic Development Bank Group. Guided by the principles of Islamic economics and finance, the IsDB Institute leads the development of innovative knowledge-based solutions to support the sustainable economic advancement of IsDB Member Countries and various Muslim communities worldwide. The IsDB Institute enables economic development through pioneering research, human capital development, and knowledge creation, dissemination, and management. The Institute leads initiatives to enable Islamic finance ecosystems, ultimately helping Member Countries achieve their development objectives. More information about the IsDB Institute is available on
Zawya
5 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Islamic Development Bank Institute participates in global conference on ethical finance and sustainable growth
Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: The International University of Sarajevo (IUS), in strategic partnership with the Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) and in collaboration with esteemed institutions including the University of Dundee (UK), Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University (Türkiye), INCEIF University (Malaysia), and the Center for Advanced Studies (Bosnia and Herzegovina), successfully hosted the international conference 'Values for Impact: Ethical Finance, Innovation, and Sustainable Growth.' The event, held at the IUS Campus in Sarajevo from 18-19 June 2025, was supported by platinum sponsor Kuveyt Türk Katılım Bankası and BH Telecom, which sponsored a key panel on artificial intelligence. The conference was inaugurated by IUS Rector, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Yıldırım, who highlighted its global significance, stating, 'This conference represents a pivotal moment for global collaboration, uniting diverse perspectives to advance ethical finance and sustainable development, aligning with IUS's commitment to fostering innovation and moral responsibility in economic systems.' Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem, Acting Director General of IsDBI, delivered a keynote address, articulating a bold vision for Islamic finance. He stated: 'Islamic finance offers the blueprint for aligning finance with markets, technology with values, and innovation with sustainability. As the world desperately seeks a new paradigm, we must rise to the challenge and contribute to a better future that we all aspire to. The path ahead will not be easy. But the mission is worth the journey.' Dr. Ahmet Albayrak, Executive Vice President of Kuveyt Türk Katılım Bankası and Patron of the IUS Center for Islamic Finance, Innovation, and Sustainability, emphasized the importance of uniting global thought leaders to strengthen the moral and digital foundations of economic systems. One of the highlights of the conference was the participation of three distinguished recipients of the Islamic Development Bank Prize in Islamic Economics: Dr. Mehmet Asutay, Professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic Political Economy & Finance, Durham University Business School, UK Dr. Mohammad Kabir Hassan, Professor of Economics and Finance, University of New Orleans, USA Dr. Habib Ahmed, Sharjah Chair in Islamic Law and Finance, Durham University Business School, UK These luminaries enriched discussions with their expertise, offering profound insights into the intersection of ethics, innovation, and finance. Over 160 participants from more than 20 countries, including academics, industry leaders, policymakers, and representatives of international organizations, engaged in dynamic sessions exploring topics such as Islamic fintech, sustainable investment, and the moral foundations of economic systems. Notable sessions included 'Reviving the Moral Foundations of Economic Life,' 'Islamic FinTech for Inclusive and Ethical Futures,' and 'Green Waqf: Islamic Sustainable Solutions to Climate Change.' A special parallel session, led by Dr. Beebee Salma Sairally, Editor of the International Journal of Islamic Finance and Sustainable Development (a jointly produced journal by IsDBI and INCEIF), provided valuable guidance on publishing in peer-reviewed journals. The conference is expected to pave the way for Bosnia and Herzegovina to become an intellectual hub for the development of Islamic economics and finance in the region and to contribute to the national and regional sustainable development agenda. About the Islamic Development Bank Institute The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) is the knowledge beacon of the Islamic Development Bank Group. Guided by the principles of Islamic economics and finance, the IsDB Institute leads the development of innovative knowledge-based solutions to support the sustainable economic advancement of IsDB Member Countries and various Muslim communities worldwide. The IsDB Institute enables economic development through pioneering research, human capital development, and knowledge creation, dissemination, and management. The Institute leads initiatives to enable Islamic finance ecosystems, ultimately helping Member Countries achieve their development objectives.
Washington Post
5 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
UN investigator and critic of Israel's actions in Gaza tells AP she was shocked by US sanctions
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina — An independent U.N. investigator and outspoken critic of Israel's actions in Gaza said Thursday that 'it was shocking' to learn that the Trump administration had imposed sanctions on her but defiantly stood by her view on the war. Francesca Albanese said in an interview with The Associated Press that the powerful were trying to silence her for defending those without any power of their own, 'other than standing and hoping not to die, not to see their children slaughtered.'
