The atmosphere was awful as Aston faced elimination
Our columnist on her perfect 10s, why Shirley saved Mollie, and loosening up for the salsa
Last Saturday’s show was just electric. Setting a new record for the earliest perfect 40 ever in the show’s history for our tango and having Craig Revel Horwood bowing at my feet was quite incredible. Giovanni was like an excited puppy shaking me to death. When you get four 10s the pros feel that they’ve done their job – the achievement to them in enormous.
Giovanni wasn’t happy with my dress rehearsal, so I was apprehensive going into the dance. But I did what I always do – I say to myself “Just go for it!”
Ruth Langsford and Anton du Beke’s paso doble was so funny, especially when they fell over and Ruth jumped on top of Anton: she was hysterical afterwards. It’s so lovely to see her enjoying it, and she was a real pro to seize the moment. We were dancing straight after them and I just thought “How am I going to follow that!?”
There was absolute horror, however, when they announced that Aston was in the dance-off. The studio went completely quiet. Because he was so good, the viewers thought that he was safe. It just goes to show what happens when you don’t vote. The judges score on pure technique and they have a knowledge that we don’t. Mollie improved her technique in the dance-off and so that’s why head judge Shirley saved her.
I’ve received lots of messages saying that [at my age] what I’m achieving is inspiring. Jeremy Vine, Vanessa Feltz and even the BBC Director-general Tony Hall have all sent encouraging comments. I keep pinching myself!
But it’s like last week didn’t happen, and I have to start again. Now we’re doing the salsa to Can’t Take My Eyes Off You. It’s a song that I absolutely love. Paul [late husband, magician Paul Daniels] and I went to see Jersey Boys in Las Vegas. Afterwards, we switched on the TV in our hotel room and watched the American Dancing on Ice. There was a man singing for the skaters and it was Frankie Valli. We’d just seen his life story on stage and there he was on the TV – it was quite extraordinary. I’ve never forgotten it.
Our narrative for the salsa is that I’m an optician and I’m giving Giovanni an eye test. I’ve had to work much harder with this dance. The hip wiggle is a figure of eight and you’ve got to make sure that the fringing on your dress moves about! We’ve got three lifts, but I’ve injured my back again so we haven’t been able practice them much. I couldn’t even get up out of a chair earlier in the week. But that’s the Strictly journey I suppose.
It’s surreal that everyone’s calling me Bendy Mcgee. I never thought that I’d be this supple again. I guess it goes to prove that adage that “if you don’t use it, you lose it”. The thought of getting to Blackpool is so exciting. I’d do anything to dance on that ballroom floor – even the sailor’s hornpipe!
Debbie Mcgee was talking to Rachel Ward; Strictly Come Dancing is on Saturday on BBC One at 6.45pm