Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson: "It feels like we're just getting started!"

March 24, 2026
By Reut Golinsky
Photo © International Skating Union (ISU)

Earlier today, World, Grand Prix Final, and European medallists Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson met with the media as part of the ISU's ongoing initiative to engage fans and showcase athletes ahead of the 2026 World Championships. Riding the momentum from their historic bronze medal at the 2025 World Championships in Boston - the first British ice dance World medal in decades - they are gearing up for another strong performance in Prague and, as they confirmed during the talk, for another Olympic quad. Known for their entertaining style and adored by crowds worldwide, they also shared insights on how, in their opinion, the sport should be modernized and made more popular.

How has the time since the Games been for you? Some skaters admitted they felt tired, empty, or even sick afterward.

Lilah: The time actually flew by, and it was really nice to have that space. I think we both felt very steady the whole time - even though I'll probably crash after Worlds! - but we really experienced all the emotions at the Olympics. Then we had a whole week after competing to enjoy, to build back up, and just to process it all. When we got back to Montreal, we had this clarity that brought a lot of purpose and kept things simple, fun, and light. We put in a lot of hard work, but it was on our terms, and in a way that felt really inspiring for us. We built up momentum, and we're really excited to keep that going this week.

Lewis: We took five days off while at the Olympics, and coming back didn't feel overwhelming either. So it was a good amount of time to build the actual progression of the skating, the programs. It wasn't exactly easy, "natural" might be a better word, maybe? As Lilah said, it was actually enjoyable and exciting to know we have one more competition left to do.

Even though the season isn't over yet, everyone's talking about the Golden Waltz. Have you started thinking about it or maybe even chosen the music already?

Lilah: Yes, we've chosen it for both of our programs. Of course, ideas do change, but as of this week, we feel pretty good about it. I think it's going to be fun.
Lewis: It's another dance I haven't done yet, so...
Lilah: ...so we have to count to three, and then just keep counting to three. But I think it's going to be a fun experience for us to learn something new together, which is really the foundation of our career. Also, exploring those characters, that kind of music and style. I think it will be really, really fun.

You're always expected to entertain, and the waltz will probably be no exception?

Lilah: Oh no, the entertainment is always going to be there. You can't stop it!
Lewis: We have an idea in mind. However, there's not much clarity yet on what the next season will actually look like...
Lilah: ...so it might not even work depending on what the rules say!

As athletes known for bringing fresh and modern ideas to ice dance, what are your thoughts on how the sport can be further modernized and made more popular with wider audiences?

Lewis: I think the number one thing is that people view media differently nowadays. It's not how it used to be, and one of the hardest things with our sport is letting people experience it like they're watching live. Through social media, it's gaining popularity again, I believe. I hope there will be ways to showcase the sport so it feels like you're there live, but also in formats like short-form media or whatever people want to watch, since many won't watch an entire event. That's part of the challenge. Who knows where it'll go? I'm excited to see. Anyway, for us, being entertainers and just being ourselves, I think the biggest thing is for everyone - all the athletes - to be able to show themselves and do that authentically. And that's what people buy into - the stories, not necessarily just the performances people put on the day of the event.

Going back to how people watch figure skating, during the Olympics there was criticism of BBC and other networks for not showing enough or everything in full. Do broadcasters need to do more? Or are there other ways people can access figure skating now, and what needs to be done to make that happen?

Lewis: I think it's probably both. Complaints about not being able to watch show there is demand, but it's also not solely someone else's responsibility to organize where people can watch.
We need platforms where people can interact with the sport in ways they're comfortable with. For example, younger kids probably watch more social media than TV, so it depends on each audience and platform.

You started skating because you watched "Dancing on Ice." Is the loss of that show a problem for British skating?

Lewis: I think so. Even when I was back in Scotland during the show, you'd feel a surge of people showing up at the rink. But I heard that in the UK a lot of people have been coming to "learn to skate" sessions since the Olympics, which is amazing. Hopefully the show will return someday, or skating will take off more on social media and draw interest. We'll see where it goes.

How does it feel to be a catalyst for that? Presumably, people in Britain are going to "learn to skate" because they've been watching you.

Lewis: It's crazy! We always talk about how much we want people to get involved with skating, whether that's watching more or going to local ice rinks for public skating. Getting people on the ice and accepted into our sport is a huge mission for us. So the fact that it's happening doesn't feel real. We're proud of it, and it's really exciting for British skating overall.

Lilah: And I actually got a lot of messages after the Olympics from people who had retired, some are now in their 60s. One lady wrote that she was back on the ice after 20 years and that she now feels better with her body, more mobile and graceful. So, different people are using skating as an outlet to feel things they don't get to experience in their daily lives, to put on a character, and just feel like they can let their problems go away. And we have the privilege of doing that.

Is your next Olympic quad already decided? And how will you approach next season with the usual reshuffling after the Games, including both unexpected retirements and some couples choosing to continue competing? How do you feel about that and prepare?

Lilah: It was similar after Beijing, when you expect certain people to retire and they don't, so I don't think about it anymore. I love everyone in the sport. For example, I'm sad Maddie and Evan aren't here. But for us, it's a fresh energy, a new quad, new ideas, new layers of partnership, performance, and athleticism. It feels like a blank slate and it's really exciting. I love starting the new year.

And yes, we're definitely doing the quad. We were on the bridge yesterday in the Old Town, and I said: "Can you imagine if we were retiring now?" Because when I was younger, I always had this timeline in mind that I'd probably be retired by that point. I could never imagine... It feels like we're just getting started!

Lewis: Our partnership has been long. But then, ten years doesn't seem that long, and it's not that long in the scope of things. I feel like we have so much to learn, just from where we both started in ice dance, for example, a great new dance we'll learn next season. And we're never really repeating ourselves, which is a nice feeling to have, to always be moving forward.