My feud with Alexandra Burke? It’s all fiction
Our columnist on being a cat, juggling jobs, and why she doesn’t have the energy to listen to gossip
Ican’t quite believe that it’s the semi-finals this weekend. With learning two routines for Strictly and starting my pantomime rehearsals, the past few days have definitely been a test. I’ve been in York this week as that’s where the panto is at Christmas – I’m playing Adorabella Marigold Angelpie the fairy in Beauty and the Beast. I’ve had some lovely comments from people there about last week’s American Smooth. Giovanni and I were both very emotional dancing it and I’m proud of what we achieved. I could feel the atmosphere in the studio and was blinking back the tears when we walked over to Tess. If I’d completely gone to pieces at the end of the dance, which I did feel like doing, then it wouldn’t have been fair on those dancing after us because we’d have taken the audience too far down, so I tried to keep it together.
Being Musicals Week meant that it was busier than usual backstage. We performed a group dance to Oliver! and so we were back and forth to make-up and costume. My cat face had to be reapplied and I couldn’t keep my ears on under my bonnet as they showed, so it made for a mad rush. But I loved wearing that bonnet – everyone was calling me Little Bo Peep!
If our dance goes well on a Saturday night, Giovanni always picks me up and swings me around in celebration. Funnily enough, that became the basis for the big neck swing lift in our American Smooth. My left hand was gripping my right wrist and that’s all I was holding on to him with. Giovanni then had the idea of letting go of me. It felt amazing being swung around to the music.
We all adore Davood so I was sad to see him leave. Giovanni was impressed with how much power he showed in his Argentine Tango in the dance-off. All of us are aware that it’s down to the votes though, which is what makes the results nerve-racking.
There have been stories about Alexandra and I feuding, and you do find it hard to deal with because it really is all fiction. There’s nothing that I’ve read that’s been true. At first we laughed about them, but as it goes on, I’ve stopped reading things. When you’re going through grief [as Alex is], you don’t feel as strong as you once were. Some things have affected me more since Paul died. We’re now in week 12, so I can relate to Alex’s comments about things taking their toll.
Our Whatsapp group is a nice place of support, however. Everyone’s said they’re having a tough time learning two dances, but we keep our spirits high. In the early days it was Brian Conley sending the jokes in. Now pro Neil Jones is always making us laugh.
We’re dancing the Jive and the Foxtrot this week. The Foxtrot is a beautiful ballroom dance and I absolutely love it. Our music is Isn’t She Lovely by Stevie Wonder, and as soon as that song starts I want to smile. Giovanni is the jive king [and a Guinness World Record holder] so the pressure’s on with that one. It’s really good fun to do, but you have to work hard at the kicks or they look like nothing. My parents used to jive – I now know how they stayed so fit. I just wish I’d paid more attention to what they were doing with their feet.
Strictly Come Dancing is on BBC One on Saturday at 6.45pm. Debbie Mcgee was talking to Rachel Ward