Debbie McGee’s "sparkle" has returned since competing on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’.
The 58-year-old television performer lost her husband of almost 30-years Paul Daniels 18 months ago, and though the star still mourns her husband the popular BBC One show has "changed" her and has made her "happy again".
Speaking about the star – who was also known for being her late partner’s magician’s assistant – to The Sun Online, Debbie’s younger sister Donna, 57, said: "I have seen a change in her, I have seen her happy again, and she has a sparkle in her face.
"She is putting in as many hours training as she can, normally nine hours upwards, and she is exhausted."
And working with dance professional Giovanni Pernice, 27, on the programme makes her "face light up".
Donna continued: "But her face lights up on the dance floor with Giovanni. She always tries to keep happy, but you can see in her eyes now that she is really happy."
Donna has revealed she moved in with Debbie for six months following Paul’s death, but now Debbie has a distraction she has not "needed" her sibling there as much.
Donna explained: "She never let him [Paul] see her cry. She was always smiling at him and even right up to the day before he died he laughed a lot with us.
"Every now and again we have a day where we sit and cry together.
"I think she likes to have someone at night to talk to when she gets home, she’s excited about it all. But she has been less emotional, she has needed me there less."
And Donna believes Debbie – who joined the Royal Ballet School aged 16 years old – will go far in the competition because she has always been a "little performer" ever since she was a child.
Donna said: "She was definitely a little performer from the word go. She wanted to be famous. She has always loved it.
"At five, I’d be playing with dolls, but Debbie was practicing if she had a show coming up. While I would go to the youth club, Debbie would practice.
"She was brilliant at choreography. She can envision things and that is probably helping her now because she understands what Giovanni is giving her.
"She picks it up and will practice it step by step until she gets it right.
"Even if Giovanni says, ‘You’ve got it’ she will keep on until she thinks she has got it right."
Debbie McGee’s ‘sparkle’ has returned due to Strictly Come Dancing
