Paul’s with me on that studio floor
DEBBIE McGee believes her late husband Paul Daniels is always with her in the studio.
The Strictly star, 59, said: “I feel he is with me. When I walk down that studio floor, there is always a moment I think of him.
“He had so much confidence. I kind of say, ‘Come on, darling, give me some of your confidence.’ And it takes away my nerves.”
She said the magician, who died from brain cancer last year aged 77, would not have let her rest on her laurels now that she’s in the final.
Debbie added: “He would always have wanted me to do better than I was doing.
“I could imagine if Paul was alive and watching me every week, he would give me notes. There is no doubt about that – he would find something.” Debbie, pictured above rehearsing with pro partner Giovanni Pernice, said her hectic schedule juggling training with panto rehearsals had made life tricky. But she’s looking forward to Christmas – although she will only have one day to relax.
She said: “I’ve only got Christmas Day off. It’s quite normal in panto. I had the same last year.
“Christmas Day will be with the family in Surrey at some point or other, with my younger sister Donna and her family and my mum and possibly my brother and his family.”
As well as Strictly putting Debbie in the spotlight again, the show has made a star of her mother too.
She said: “My mum’s called Babs McGee. Everyone has started to love her. She was trending on Twitter the other day, which is fantastic. She’s 80.”
Former judge Len Goodman has said the title is anyone’s for the taking and Debbie admitted: “I’d like the Strictly Glitterball in my stocking. It’s the only thing I want.”