WELL, THAT’S MAGIC
10 questions for Debbie Mcgee.
For many years Debbie was assistant to her husband, magician Paul Daniels, who died two years ago. She ran her own ballet school and made the final of the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing. Her latest project is walking the Camino de Santiago route through France and Spain, with six other celebrities. Pilgrimage: The Road To Santiago is on BBC2, Friday, 9pm.
WHY SIGN UP FOR THE PILGRIMAGE?
Just to see if I could do it. It took me out of my comfort zone, and it was the toughest thing I’ve ever done.
DID YOU LEARN ANYTHING FROM DOING IT?
No, and I really don’t know what others get out of it. People think I’m fluffy, which I’m not, but a warm bath and a glass of Prosecco would lift me higher than walking the Camino. I am the same person as when I left.
APART FROM THE WALKING, WHAT WAS DIFFICULT?
Sometimes we shared rooms, staying in really grotty hostels, often in bunk beds. And Neil Morrissey snores so loudly you can hear him in Alaska (laughs)!
DID IT CHANGE ANY OF THE OTHER CELEBRITIES?
I won’t know till I see all the programmes. Kate Bottley, the Gogglebox vicar, hated the walking, and she cried the whole of the first day. But we all bonded. The camaraderie was great.
ARE YOU PARTICULARLY SPIRITUAL?
I was brought up as Catholic but I was married to Paul, an atheist, for almost 30 years. I guess I’m open-minded. I do drop in to churches when I’m abroad.
LIKE WHERE?
I lived in Iran during the era of the Shah, and it was fine to go to church then. Women weren’t covered up, there was no feeling of persecution, and the place was like a sunny New York. When he was deposed it changed overnight.
HAVE YOU ADAPTED TO “CIVILIAN” LIFE AFTER STRICTLY?
It’s like stepping off a treadmill, a winding down after the series and tour. It’s hard to be at home again but I’m getting back to the gym, catching up with my neighbours, that sort of thing.
WHAT QUESTION DO PEOPLE ASK YOU MOST?
Since Strictly, every day someone asks me: “How do you kick your legs so high?” I tell them it’s yoga.
WHAT ELSE ARE YOU UP TO JUST NOW?
I can’t sleep so I’m filming a project for the Lorraine show with a sleep doctor who is helping me. I appear on Loose Women, I’m recording some game shows, and I do after-dinner speaking.
YOU HAVE 24 HOURS LEFT TO LIVE. HOW DO YOU SPEND IT?
When my dad died there were 15 of us around his bed laughing at the tricks he’d played on us. I’d ask my friends and family over and insist they told jokes for the whole day. I want to go out laughing.