Debbie McGee thinks "gardening" is the secret to her ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ success.
The 58-year-old star – who is following in her late husband Paul Daniels’ footsteps after he appeared on the BBC competition in 2010 – received high praise from the viewers and judging panel following her routine to Fergie’s ‘Be Italian’ over the weekend.
Asked by the Daily Mirror newspaper how she manages to stay in top shape for the intense dancing show, she revealed: "Gardening keeps me trim, as does Pilates and yoga three to four times a week."
Despite her healthy living, Debbie still felt the effects of her energetic routine and admitted she needed a massage the next day because her back was so tight.
She explained: "My body is feeling that it was flung around last night. I was sent to the physio who gave my back a jolly good massage."
Craig Revel Horwood – known for his cutting and brutally honest remarks on the panel – heaped praise on Debbie after her performance alongside professional dancer partner Giovanni Pernice.
He said she "looked liked a 20 year old" on the dance floor, with Darcey Bussell adding that she was "on fire".
Meanwhile, Debbie recently revealed ‘Strictly’ has made her happy for the first time since her husband lost his battle with cancer in March 2016.
She told ‘Lorraine’: "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."
Magician Daniels competed on the show in 2010 alongside Ola Jordan, and was the second celebrity to leave the competition.
Debbie McGee’s Strictly secret
