STRICTLY DEBBIE IS MAGIC
But do ballet skills make it easy for her?
DEBBIE McGee has become the “dark horse” to win this year’s Strictly after showing off her bendy body on Saturday’s launch show.
But questions are being asked about whether she has an unfair advantage over her rivals in the BBC One dancing contest.
The widow of magician Paul Daniels is a graduate of the Royal Ballet School and for three years she was artistic director of her own dance company, Ballet Imaginaire.
The TV judges were wowed when the 58-year-old radio and TV star showed off her talent as she and dance partner Giovanni Pernice performed a paso doble.
They scored an impressive 30 out of 40 points, with Craig Revel Horwood commenting: “You dance like a 20-year-old.”
Debbie was the second highest scorer of the night behind former JLS star Aston Merrygold.
As a result, bookies Ladbrokes have slashed her odds of winning this year’s series from 20-1 to 7-1.
However, viewers have taken to social media to ask how she can be called an ® amateur – unlike others in the contest such as This Morning’s Ruth Langsford and Sunday Brunch’s Simon Rimmer.
Debbie has dismissed the controversy, saying she did ballet “years ago” and ballroom and latin dancing are completely different.
She said: “I don’t think I have an unfair advantage.
“I’m the oldest contestant this year, and I haven’t danced for 35 years.
“I trained as a ballet dancer, which is very rigid and different to this. I did do some commercial dancing, but I gave up when I was 23. I’ve never done anything since.”
Meanwhile, vicar Richard Coles has been crowned “the new Ed Balls” by viewers.
His “dad-dancing” to the chacha with partner Dianne Buswell thrilled fans and the pair have been dubbed “The Beauty And The Priest”.
Following Saturday’s show, singer Aston is the 5-2 favourite to win.