Torvill and Dean, Sarajevo 1984 gold medallists, will serve as head coaches and mentors at the school, a joint venture between British Ice Skating (BIS) and the Sheffield City Trust.

It is hoped that the camp-based academy will create an accessible pathway to Olympic success for ice dancers in the United Kingdom and give them more opportunities to develop.

Based at iceSheffield, the British Ice Skating Academy of Dance will serve as the home of British ice dancing.

"The future of Ice Dance in the UK is something that is very close to my heart," said Dean, who also won a Lillehammer 1994 bronze medal with Torvill, along with four world titles.

"Now is the right time to help give something back to the sport we love and help future generations develop."

Torvill added that the British Ice Skating Academy of Dance "will put in place steps to help us identify the best skaters and prepare them to compete on the world stage".

The bronze medal Torvill and Dean won in 1994 is the last figure skating medal won by Britain at the Winter Olympics. 

Nicholas Buckland and Penny Coomes, 11th in the ice dance at Pyeongchang 2018, were Britain's only figure skaters at the most recent Games.

"Torvill and Dean wowed the world with one of the greatest sporting moments ever, we’re thrilled that they are now going to work alongside the National Governing Body to help nurture the next generation who might one day replicate their Olympic heroics," said British Ice Skating chief executive Michelle Draper.

"Our Academy will create an environment that enables young people to thrive, give them greater opportunities and allow them to build the necessary foundations to become the next ice dance stars."

Shaun Lough, iceSheffield general manager, said that the Sheffield City Trust hoped the announcement would offer "a further boost to Sheffield as an ice skating destination".