Debbie McGee has admitted that she no longer feels like she is simply Paul Daniel's wife since competing in Strictly Come Dancing. The former magician's assistant told the panel on the popular ITV daytime show that while Paul would have loved seeing her dancing in the show, she was happy that she got to show the public just what she was capable of. Debbie said: "People didn’t get to see me before or see that I had a talent. They thought I wasn’t really doing anything and I was just purely blonde, so it was nice for me to show them that there is more to me." She added: "Paul would have loved it and would have been looking down on me."
STORY: Strictly's Giovanni Pernice recounts hilarious first impressions on Debbie McGee
Debbie McGee chatted to the Loose Women panellists about Strictly Come Dancing
The 59-year-old also opened up about her "special chemistry," with professional dance partner, 27-year-old Giovanni Pernice. Debbie told panellists Nadia Sawalha, Christine Lampard, Linda Robson and Gloria Hunniford that she always felt "really comfortable," and that Giovanni is "really special" to her. "From day one I felt really comfortable with him," she said. "We really do have a very special chemistry, he's really special to me and I'm sure I am to him, we love each other to bits but there was nothing more than a friendship."
Debbie no longer feels like she is in late husband Paul Daniels' shadow
Debbie added that she felt that by making it to the final, in her eyes she had already won the dance competition. "Giovanni and I talked about it because he'd been in the final before and we'd just decided that we'd had the most amazing four months, so to me, I'd already won, I didn't care," she said. Debbie and Giovanni lost out on the glittering trophy to Holby City actor, Joe McFadden. The 42-year-old and his dance partner Katya Jones were announced as the winners on Saturday night, beating fellow celebrity contestants Debbie, Gemma Atkinson and Alexandra Burke.
Debbie and her dance partner Giovanni Pernice have a "very special chemistry"
Joe spoke of his surprise at winning during his appearance on Lorraine on Monday, admitting that he hadn’t expected to win after having a problematic dress rehearsal in the same afternoon. He said: "I was completely and utterly flabbergasted! I really, really was. We'd had a not very good dress rehearsal in the afternoon. Katya turned to me and said, 'If we do it like that then there'll be no glitterballs tonight!'"