Christopher Dean has had a huge career on the ice with his professional skating partner Jayne Torvill – and an intersting life away from it. The Midlands-born star is best known for his gold medal win at the 1984 Winter Olympics with Jayne.
The pair also won a bronze medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics. Before focussing on his passion for ice skating, Christopher, aged 66, was actually a police officer with Nottinghamshire Police.
He spent six years in the job from 1974 to 1980. He eventually resigned from the force because he could no longer balance his skating and police careers and Jayne, aged 67, left her job as an insurance clerk soon after.
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The pair are set to return to our screens as judges on ITV show Dancing on Ice tonight. But what do we know about Christopher’s life away from the ice?
Below we look at his brief ‘dabble’ into romance with Jayne, and his love life from his two marriages to his relationship with Dancing on Ice coach Karen Barber, aged 63.
Christopher Dean’s kiss with Jayne Torvill
Despite skating together since the 1970s, Christopher and Jayne Torvill have never been romantically involved – although they did share some sparks at one time. Their on-ice chemistry over the years has led many to believe they were a couple.
In 2013, Jayne confessed that they did “dabble” in romance as teenagers and shared a kiss once. “We were in the back of the bus going to a league match, and it just happened,” she said.
“It was a one-off. We never talked about it afterwards. We laugh about it now,” she revealed to Radio Times.
Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean
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Christopher has said that he does ‘love’ Jayne, but clarified their relationship is purely platonic. He said: “There is still a romance, though. I love Jayne. But in a passionate friend way. When couples dance together, it’s very intimate; you spend a lot of time together, it’s close, it’s physical.”
Instead, Chris sees Jayne as his top confidante and has previously mentioned how he turns to her for advice – especially relationship advice. He humorously notes that his friendship with Jayne has outlasted any of his marriages.
Jayne is married to American sound engineer Phil Christiansen, and the pair are parents to adopted children Kieran and Jessica.
Christopher Dean’s relationship with Karen Barber
Off the ice, Christopher has had two marriages and is currently in a relationship with fellow Dancing on Ice regular, coach Karen Barber. They have been together since 2011, but have not married.
At the time, the couple released a joint statement, stating: “We have been great friends for more than 30 years. Following recent media speculation, we feel the necessity to confirm that this year has seen a change in our relationship, but we are taking things very slowly, as it is early days.
“We’d very much like to thank our dear friends, who have been so incredibly supportive to us. We both have families with children, so we ask the media to please respect their privacy.”
Karen, a 1983 European bronze medalist ice skater who competed at two Olympics with partner Nicky Slater, has served as a judge and as a coach on Dancing on Ice. She has two daughters, Laura and Emma, with her former husband, Stephen Pickavance.
Christopher also has two grown-up sons – Sam and Jack – from his second marriage to US skater Jill Trenary. They lived in the US and Christopher split his time between the UK and the US after signing up for Dancing on Ice in 2006, reportedly spending only five months a year with his family.
In March 2010, Chris’s agent announced the pair had seperated. In an interview that same year, Chris noted: “We’re not at war. We’re actually friends.
“In Colorado, I now live a minute’s walk away from them and go round every day. I pick the boys up for school. Get them ready. Bring them home from school. We are best friends.”
Christopher’s first marriage was to French-Canadian World ice dance champion Isabelle Duchesnay from 1991 to 1993. However, their union was short-lived, ending in less than two years.