Debbie McGee is feeling "happy" for the first time since she tragically lost her husband Paul to cancer last year.
The 58-year-old magician’s assistant says being on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ has given her a real boost after months of grieving, and has heaped praise on her professional dance partner Giovanni Pernice for giving her a new lease of life.
Appearing on ‘Lorraine’ on Thursday (21.09.17), she said: "It really is the first time since I lost Paul that I feel genuinely happy.
"Until now there was a knot in my stomach.
"These last three weeks on ‘Strictly’ have been amazing on every level, they all make you feel so good and wanted."
Debbie hit it off right away with the Italian hunk and whilst they have lots of fun together, they are fully "focused" on lifting the glitterball trophy.
On her connection with the 27-year-old star, she said: "We are really plugged in. We have a connection.
"We feel really comfortable in each other’s company.
"We have the same sense of humour. We have the same work ethic. We are totally focused.
"I love dancing with Giovanni, I just feel like I am floating on air."
Paul competed on the show with Ola Jordan in 2010 and Debbie is hoping to do better than her late spouse.
She said previously: "Paul would love the fact I have been asked to be part of ‘Strictly’. I’m hoping to last a little longer [than he did].
"But he did really well as he did have two left feet and he couldn’t hear the music but he managed to keep in time."
Despite Paul’s past experience on the show, Debbie admits she didn’t know too much about it until signing up herself.
She said: "My only involvement then was that I came to the studio and he was only in it for a couple of weeks. So I knew there was a big buzz about the show but I wasn’t part of the ‘Strictly’ family. We are just having a ball."
While Debbie can’t wait to get started on the show, she is concerned about mastering the Latin dances because of her ballet dancing past.
She added: "I’m worried about the Latin because 35 years ago I trained at the Royal Ballet. I’m very upright from those years. But I think we are all just going for it."
Debbie McGee is ‘happy’ for first time since husband Paul died
