Jayne Torvill says it's 'strange' she can't hug Christopher Dean during 'Dancing on Ice' filming

Jayne Torvill reckons it will be "strange" not being able to hug her long-time skating partner Christopher Dean during Dancing on Ice filming.

Due to the coronavirus, the pair are social distancing throughout filming while they both remain as judges on the programme.

However they will be seen together for some prerecorded routines which are set to air throughout the series.

Read more: Rebekah Vardy was scared to skate again after Dancing on Ice injury

She said: “It will be strange because after we’d done our pre-records just before Christmas, we then went to our separate houses to spend Christmas and so on, so I haven’t actually met up with Chris again.”

She added it will be “strange that I can’t give him a hug”.

Meanwhile, Dean said filming would be a "surreal" experience. He said: "We have to have our two metre separation or at least a screen separating us and we have to talk through masks when we are off camera.

“So for us, like everybody else, it is completely different, but also surreal that I can’t touch Jayne and dance with her and skate with her.”

The pair are returning to the judging panel with John Barrowman and Ashley Banjo while Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield host again.

Watch: Dancing on Ice skater injured in rehearsal accident

The series, which is set to launch on Sunday, has got off to a difficult start for professional skater Yebin Mok.

Read more: Denise van Outen ‘petrified’ about competing on Dancing on Ice

Her tendons were exposed where her leg was sliced open in an accident in training, meaning she'll be recovering for the next few weeks.

Mok's celebrity partner Olympic skier Graham Bell will now not appear in the launch episode of the ITV celebrity skating competition this weekend, instead appearing in week two with new partner Karina Manta.

With additional reporting by PA.