‘It’s surreal’: Dancing On Ice’s Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean reveal they’ll be kept apart for first time in 40 YEARS due to show’s Covid guidelines
Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean have revealed they’ll be kept apart for the first time in 40 years due to Dancing On Ice‘s coronavirus guidelines.
Panellists Jayne, 63, and Christopher, 62, who have been inseparable ever since they scooped gold medals at the 1984 Winter Olympics, admitted the new experience is ‘surreal’ as they will remain socially distanced during the show, launching on Sunday.
Choreographer Christopher said in a new interview: ‘I can’t touch Jayne and dance with her and skate with her. We have to have two-metre separation or a screen, and talk through masks off camera. It’s surreal.’
‘It’s surreal’: Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean have revealed they’ll be kept apart for the first time in 40 years due to Dancing On Ice’s coronavirus guidelines
The TV judge’s longtime professional partner added to The Mirror: ‘I haven’t met Chris in person this year, it will be strange I can’t give him a hug, I will have to keep remembering.
‘Lots of my friends have said for the last couple of weeks, ”We really need this now”. I can’t wait and I hope the viewers are going to enjoy it.’
Viewers will still be able to see the dance icons display their fancy footwork in ‘two or three routines’ they pre-recorded late last year.
The duo will join Ashley Banjo and John Barrowman as they prepare to judge the likes of WAG Rebecca Vardy, actor Jason Donovan and rapper Lady Leshurr on the ice, while Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield will return to their hosting duties.
Close friends: Panellists Jayne, 63, and Christopher, 62, have been inseparable ever since they scooped gold medals at the 1984 Winter Olympics (pictured)
‘It’s strange’: ‘I can’t touch Jayne and dance with her and skate with her. We have to have two-metre separation or a screen’, choreographer Chris said (pictured in 2020)
The group will be protected by perspex screens, while the studio at Bovingdon Airfield in Hertfordshire will have no audience, a move mirroring that of Strictly Come Dancing.
Five Dancing On Ice crew members have reportedly tested positive for coronavirus, it was claimed on Tuesday.
According to reports, show bosses are set to introduce stricter restrictions on set as a result of the outbreak so that the show can open as planned later this week.
Crew members behind the scenes are said to be concerned about others contracting COVID-19, but they are taking every precaution to ensure this doesn’t happen.
Last year: The judges (Ashley Banjo, John Barrowman, Jayne and Christopher) sat closer together last year before the coronavirus pandemic
A source told The Sun: ‘More than five members of production are isolating because of Covid right now — it’s become a nightmare. They’re now enforcing even stricter regulations.
‘But while there are concerns about further people having to isolate, bosses are confident they have put all the precautions in place to safely be able to get the show on air.’
A spokesperson for the show told MailOnline: ‘The welfare of everyone who works on Dancing On Ice is our first priority.
‘We have had a robust set of measures in place ever since work on the series commenced in order to operate safely within Covid-19 guidelines and to ensure the wellbeing of everyone connected with the production.’
Minimal: The group will be protected by perspex screens, while the studio at Bovingdon Airfield in Hertfordshire will have no audience, a move mirroring that of Strictly Come Dancing