Jayne Torvill, one half of ice-skating duo Torvill and Dean, has been made a dame in the New Year Honours.

Torvill, from Heathfield in East Sussex, was previously appointed an OBE following an illustrious career spanning 50 years.

The ice-skating champion, who won gold at the 1984 Winter Olympics with long-time skating partner Christopher Dean, said the timing of the honour was “perfect”.

“We did our final tour this year, and that was a big thing for us. We had such a great time, and we were so happy with the tour and the fact that we got through it,” she said.

The letter confirming Dean’s knighthood took a little longer to arrive, prompting Dame Jayne to become concerned that she may end up celebrating the honour without her skating partner, she said.

Torvill, 68, said she “couldn’t believe it” when she opened a confidential letter containing the news on a Saturday morning.

After telling her husband, she rang her fellow Dancing on Ice head judge to share the news.

“I was so elated, but then I was thinking, ‘there’s something wrong here’, as everything we’ve achieved, we’ve achieved together,” she said.

Meanwhile, Louise Ansari, from Crowborough, has been appointed an MBE for services to health equity.

Ms Ansari has worked as the chief executive of Healthwatch England, an organisation set up in 2012 to speak out on behalf of NHS and social care patients.

It is one of several organisations set to be scrapped as part of Labour’s 10-year health strategy.

Angela Wooller, from Hailsham, who works as the apprenticeship and qualifications manager at East Sussex County Council, has been awarded the BEM medal for services to further education.

Another BEM recipient is Joyce White, who was the head of service for orthoptics at the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust before retiring in December 2024.

Ms White, from Bognor Regis in West Sussex, has been recognised for services to orthoptic patients.