Celeb obsessed? Get a daily dose of showbiz gossip direct to your inbox Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice A new movie is set to explore the personal and professional lives of ice dancing icons Torvill and Dean. The two-hour ITV film, Torvill and Dean: The Movie, will reveal the inside story of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean’s relationship both on and off the ice. The film will address the persistent rumours of romance between the Olympic heroes, who are both in long-standing relationships with other partners. Game of Thrones actor Will Tudor, 31, will portray Dean, and Ackley Bridge star Poppy Lee Friar, 23, will play Torvill. The film will follow the Dancing on Ice stars from their beginnings in Nottingham to their gold medal turn at the 1984 Olympics. (Image: WireImage) (Image: WireImage) Penned by Made In Dagenham writer William Ivory, it also stars Anita Dobson and Stephen Tompkinson. William interviewed the duo extensively prior to shooting, which begins later this month. Torvill, 60, and Dean, 59, said they are “honoured” by the film. They said they are happy to share their “passion for skating, the lifelong friendship that came through our sport, and everything that it took to achieve our eventual goal of becoming Olympic champions.” (Image: Getty) ITV say the film will “explore how Chris and Jayne clashed” as they developed their legendary, medal-winning routines. Writer William said: “Chris and Jayne are fascinating. Athletes with all the grit and determination that entails, but real artists, too, engaging in deeply felt creative and emotional battles.” Executive producer Emily Dalton said: “They are iconic but also enigmatic. We’ve all speculated about their relationship off the ice. Viewers will be moved and surprised by [their] heartbreaking and backbreaking journey.”<doc-sep>The writer spent many hours talking to his subjects, who said they had "thoroughly enjoyed... sharing experiences of our passion for skating, the life-long friendship that came through our sport and everything that it took to achieve our eventual goal of becoming Olympic champions".<doc-sep>Game of Thrones star Will Tudor is to star in a one-off drama about British skating legends Torvill and Dean. The actor, who starred as Olyvar in the HBO series between seasons three and five, will play Christopher Dean, alongside Ackley Bridge and Eve star Poppy Lee Friar as Jayne Torvill in the two-hour single film. Torvill and Dean is written by Made In Dagenham and Burton and Taylor writer William Ivory and it will tell the story of the skating partnership from personal and professional angles. Ivory has spent hours interviewing the pair ahead of the series, which is produced by Endemol Shine-owned indie Darlow Smithson. Jaime Winstone (Donkey Punch) also stars alongside Anita Dobson (Call The Midwife), Stephen Tompkinson (The Split), Jo Hartley (This Is England ’90), Dean Andrews (Last Tango in Halifax), Christine Bottomley (Cucumber) and Susan Earl (So Awkward). Related Story Conleth Hill To Headline ITV Adaptation Of Graham Norton's Debut Novel 'Holding' It is produced by Emma Burge (Shameless) and exec produced by Emily Dalton and Ivory. Torvill and Dean will be directed by Gillies MacKinnon (Hideous Kinky) and filming is due to commence later this month. Northern Ireland Screen are co-production partners and international distribution will be handled by Endemol Shine International. Ivory said, “It’s been such a privilege to work on this piece. Chris and Jayne are such fascinating characters: sports people and athletes with all the grit and determination that entails, but real artists, too, engaging in deeply felt creative and emotional battles.” ITV’s Head of Drama Polly Hill, added “Torvill and Dean captures the emotional intensity of Jayne and Chris’s relationship from those early years as they endeavored to create a world renowned ice dancing partnership. Their story to success is inspirational and I’m delighted we’re telling it on ITV. It’s a joy to be working with William Ivory, who is bringing this wonderful story to screen.”<doc-sep>
The story of Britain’s Olympic-winning ice-dancing pair Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean will be told in a TV drama for ITV in the U.K. Will Tudor (“Game of Thrones”) will play Dean and Poppy Lee Friar (“Ackley Bridge”) portrays Torvill in the 120-minute drama, which Endemol Shine will sell internationally. The film will track the artistic and personal relationship between the two skaters, who were British, European, world and Olympic champions in their discipline. They were national heroes in the U.K., with 24 million viewers at home tuning in to their 1984 Olympics win. Endemol Shine-backed Darlow Smithson will make the ice-dance drama, which was written by William Ivory (“Made in Dagenham”). The TV movie will also star Anita Dobson (“EastEnders”) as Torvill’s first coach, and Stephen Tompkinson (“The Split”) as her father. Ivory interviewed his subjects at length and said: “Chris and Jayne are such fascinating characters: sports people and athletes with all the grit and determination that entails, but real artists, too, engaging in deeply felt creative and emotional battles.” “We feel very honored that ITV have commissioned this film based on what was a very significant period in each of our lives,” Torvill and Dean added in a statement. “We have thoroughly enjoyed the time we have spent with William Ivory and the team at Darlow Smithson sharing experiences of our passion for skating, the lifelong friendship that came through our sport and everything that it took to achieve our eventual goal of becoming Olympic champions.” Dean Andrews (“Last Tango in Halifax”) and Christine Bottomley (“Cucumber”) will play Dean’s parents in the film. Jaime Winstone (“After Hours”) is the ice dancing instructor who pairs Chris and Jayne together for the first time.