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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Sean Ingle

‘They allowed us to use the costumes’: Fear and Gibson on Torvill and Dean, Boléro and skating history

Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson of Great Britain wave the union flag on a lap of honour after they received their bronze medals at the European Figure Skating Championships ice dance competition in Sheffield in January 2026
Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson took bronze at the European championships in Sheffield this month. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Even after 42 years, the images remain seared into the mind’s eye. Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean staring deeply into each other’s souls as Ravel’s haunting Boléro strikes up. Dean tenderly caressing his partner’s face as they dance. And the dramatic denouement as the pair collapse on the ice after four minutes and 28 seconds of perfection.

Most figure skaters would shy away from that unforgettable gold medal-winning performance at the 1984 Winter Olympics. But in late October, Team GB’s Lewis Gibson and Lilah Fear lovingly recreated it in a series of images on Instagram.

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