Debbie McGee says ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ has made her a "strong person".
The 59-year-old television assistant tragically lost her husband Paul Daniels last year, but the star has admitted since competing on the BBC One programme she has started to feel "young and confident" and "like the old Debbie again", which was how she felt when she first met her late spouse.
Writing in a column for the Telegraph, she said: "As the weeks have passed by, I’ve begun to feel like the old Debbie again. I haven’t had to do anything like this since I was young and confident. And I’ve certainly never had to bare my soul like this before. It’s brought back the feeling that I had when I met Paul. We were strong in our partnership and I always had him to hang on to. When he died, I lost that inner strength. Strictly is helping me get back to that strong person I once was."
Debbie is set to wow crowds at Blackpool Tower this weekend as her and her professional partner Giovanni Pernice will dance the samba to Spice Girls tracks, but the star is surprised by her skill on the dancefloor, and that she is gyrating to songs by the hit 90s girl band at her age.
Speaking about her upcoming routine, she said: "We’re performing to songs by the Spice Girls, and, to be honest, it’s a bit crazy. I’m dancing on a podium for a start! And because the Tower Ballroom has a large dancefloor we’ve got four extra dancers in our routine. So yes, I’m going to be a Spice Girl. I can’t believe I’m doing this at my age, but I’m having fun and I’m a big fan of the Spice Girl that I’ll be playing.
"There are no lifts in our samba this week, and I think I’ll stay away from the rollercoasters. Instead, I’ll have a walk along the promenade and think of Paul, because we had many happy times in Blackpool."
Debbie McGee: ‘Strictly is helping me get back to that strong person I once was’
