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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Julie McCaffrey

Dancing on Ice's Torvill and Dean give their verdicts on this year's three finalists

Comedy falls, terrifying headbangers, sensational spins and hilarious costumes - Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean have seen it all in their 14-series reign over Dancing On Ice.

But only in this series has Jayne been moved to tears by the beauty of a routine.

And now Chris reckons we're in for the best final in the history of the ITV skating contest, when three couples recreate the pair's legendary routine to Ravel's Bolero.

He says: "This has been the stand-out series. We're about to see some of the best Boleros ever seen."

Regan Gascoigne, 26, the celeb skater who made Jayne cry, will face former Strictly Come Dancing pro Brendan Cole, 45, and Pussycat Doll Kimberly Wyatt, 40, in Sunday's final.

Kimberly Wyatt, Brendan Cole and Regan Gascoigne are this year's finalists (ITV)

Critics might say the top three, who each scored maximum points, had it in the bag from the start as each have backgrounds as professional dancers.

But Chris, 63, insists not. He says: "I don't think their dancing background is an unfair advantage. They have to learn to skate - and some people we've had before, who would say they're dancers, haven't been able to take to the ice and master it.

"All three of these have worked really hard to blend their blades and find the gliding edge. Once they've done that, then their dance skills come out."

"But it's a really difficult thing to feel comfortable on a pair of ice skates when you’ve never done it before. So as much as they're great at what they do, they're a hair's breadth away from disaster as well."

Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean performed at international competitions during their skating careers (Getty Images)
They have shared their thoughts on this year's Dancing on Ice finalists (ITV)

The jeopardy faced by the celebrity skaters is a constant draw to the show, as the audience is glued as much to the disastrous contestants as the impressive ones.

Who could forget the sight of Happy Mondays maraca-shaker Bez, dressed as a beekeeper, wobbling to Walking on Sunshine? But now only three of the best movers remain.

Chris says: "The quality's been amazing. It's pushed each of them each week. They're enjoying it but it's quite intense as well.”

Jayne, 64, says: "Throughout the series we've seen our three slip and slop their way to the top of the leader board, so it's not always been the same person.

"There's no way of telling who'll win. Only the ­audience vote counts on the night, but we still score them and I think we'll see some tens."

One Bolero skater who didn't win their approval was Kamila Valieva, the Russian 15-year-old at the centre of a doping scandal during this year's Winter Olympics.

Chris says: "We felt like she was skating through the music, rather than with the music. I think it's also the training. Sometimes it becomes all about the jumps and moving from A to B."

Kamila's failed drug test, and the tearful teen's chastisement by her coach after falling during a routine, highlighted the rigours of her training. Chris adds: "These kids are too young. I think the Olympics need to increase the age to 17, if not 18, to compete."

Kamila Valieva was among the competitors at the Winter Olympics (REUTERS)

Chris further commented: "Within their system those girls tend to be spent by the age of 17 because of what they've put their bodies through at an early age.

"And the pressure. Time after time out of that skating centre they've had huge success but then the next year they don't come back."

Throughout Chris and Jayne's competing years, ending in 1984 with the unbeaten record of nine perfect sixes for artistic merit at the Sarajevo Olympics, they were aware of the drastically different coaching techniques of other nations.

Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean with their coach Betty Callaway (left), pictured in 1983 (Getty Images)

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Jayne says: "When we were competing against East Germany there were stories about coaches being very strict with the girls, and that their doctor had drugs that stopped them growing - those girls were tiny."

By contrast the pair were nurtured in their coaching by the late Betty Callaway in Nottingham. No dramas or tantrums? "No!" says Jayne. "We were goody two shoes."

Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at webcelebs@mirror.co.uk or call us direct 0207 29 33033.

The final of Dancing on Ice will air tonight on ITV from 7pm.

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