Lesley describes the show as being "to competitive figure skating what Saturday morning bike rides are to the Tour de France." While it doesn’t match the technical demands of professional skating, she acknowledges that it plays an important role in introducing new audiences to the sport and even inspiring future professionals.
One of those professionals is Dancing on Ice skater Mark Hanretty, who was inspired by Olympic legends Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean. Lesley has known Hanretty since he was a junior skater and is rooting for him and his partner, Michaela Strachan, as he competes in his final season on the show.
Lesley’s latest article is just one example of how she continues to stay engaged with her passions well into retirement. Born in Lancashire and raised in Dunstable, she studied French and Spanish at university in Manchester, where she met her late husband, Nigel.
Having started out as a bilingual secretary, Lesley enjoyed a long career in financial management, and alongside her ‘day job’ discovered a new love - figure skating. “I took my daughter to skating lessons and fell in love with the sport,” she recalls. “I started writing newsletters, covering competitions, and even translating for international skating magazines.”
What began as a hobby turned into a decades-long career in skating journalism. For nearly 30 years, Lesley reported on major championships, travelled the world, and developed a deep knowledge of technique and performance.
Now retired and living at The Newells, Adlington Retirement Living’s retirement community in Kempston, she continues to write, proving that passion doesn’t fade with age. She has also embraced an active social life, enjoying theatre trips, local history groups, and exercise classes. “I’ve always been independent, but here, there’s a wonderful sense of community,” she says.
Lesley remains as sharp and engaged as ever. “I still feel 25 in my head,” she laughs. “The key to a happy retirement is staying interested in things, keeping your mind active, and surrounding yourself with good people.”
With the European Figure Skating Championships returning to Sheffield next January for the first time since 2012, she is excited to see more people engaging with the sport she loves. For her, Dancing on Ice is an important "shop window" for skating, reminding audiences just how demanding and beautiful it can be.
Her story is a testament to the idea that retirement isn’t about stepping back - it’s about continuing to do what you love. And for Lesley, that means writing, skating, and sharing her expertise with the world.