My Strictly Diary Debbie Mcgee ‘I’m still flying high after my near-perfect Hallowe’en’
Our columnist on aches and pains, receiving her first 10s of the series, and celebrating her birthday
Hallowe’en Week was mad. There was all sorts going on. Giovanni, Aljaz and Kevin are like The Three Musketeers as they’re always joking around. At one point, I was talking to some of the other contestants in the corridor backstage and Giovanni jumped out and scared me with a great big hairy spider.
But honestly, I was exhausted after our Frankenstein-inspired Charleston and we’re still recovering from doing all those scary lifts. I really gave it everything, so I was thrilled to get three 10s – my first of the series! And to also get a nine from Craig, especially for a Charleston which his area of expertise, was incredible. We were really flying high on Saturday night.
However, we both went through a lot for that routine: Giovanni injured his shoulder during our last lift and I pulled the muscles in my back. I don’t think my stamina is what it was when I began Strictly. I started off going to the gym four times a week, but I’m not able to now because my schedule is so busy. Going from doing a rumba the week before, where there is no cardio involved, to a Charleston was a struggle. But it was worth it to be crowned the Queen of Latin by head judge Shirley. Giovanni has been calling me My Majesty ever since!
Luckily this week we’re doing a tango, so I won’t be thrown around too much. We’re dancing to The Black Eyed Peas’ I Gotta Feeling, which may sound like a strange choice, but the musical arrangement for it is brilliant and really works. I prefer traditional music for a tango really, but this track has light and shade, which is exactly what you need for this style of dance. It’s got plenty of staccato, but there’s tender moments too. The best advice so far from the judges has been from Shirley, who said to keep my neck looking swanlike.
Our story this week is that I’m an elegant woman who’s teasing a young chap. We’re playing it straight though, so there’ll be no cheekiness. Our rumba was sensual because we care about each other – the tango is another sensual dance, so I think it will have the same power. It’s hard to describe how I feel about Giovanni because I’ve never been this close with a man where we feel like this without being in a relationship. I respect him as a dancer and choreographer and for being able to get the best out of me. And he’s such a nice guy, too. It was my birthday on Tuesday and he spoilt me to bits. We were busy filming The One Show, but he made sure I had a special day. As a present he gave me a framed photograph of us doing our Viennese Waltz. It was the perfect gift because the Viennese Waltz was my dad’s favourite dance.
Dad died three years ago and he and Mum loved to dance. They were teenagers in the Fifties so they were great jivers. Usually on a Saturday, Mum, who’s now 80, goes dancing with her brother at a British Legion Club that has a live band. She never usually misses it, but because it was my birthday I really wanted her in the audience last weekend. Me being on the show has brought a sparkle to her life. She’s living Strictly with me, which it totally fantastic.
Debbie Mcgee was talking to Rachel Ward; Strictly Come Dancing is on Saturday on BBC One at 6.50pm