Debbie McGee

About

Debbie McGee is an accomplished English television, radio, and stage performer, best known for her work as a ballet dancer and her television appearances, particularly alongside her late husband, magician Paul Daniels.

Ballet Career

Debbie McGee’s journey into the world of dance began at the age of 16, when she attended the prestigious Royal Ballet School. She then joined the Iranian National Ballet Company in Tehran, where she progressed to become part of the Corps de Ballet. Unfortunately, her ballet career was cut short due to the Iranian Revolution, which led to the closure of the ballet company and disrupted her professional path.

Paul Daniels

Debbie’s career took a new turn when the Bernard Delfont Organisation offered her a role performing alongside the famous magician Paul Daniels. The pair met in London in 1979 at rehearsals for Paul’s summer show. Their professional relationship quickly blossomed into both a career partnership and a personal one.

After working together in a pantoon production, Debbie joined Paul for his 1980 summer season in Bournemouth. She later performed with him in his West End stage show It’s Magic, which broke records as the longest-running magic show in the West End, running for 14 months.

Debbie gained widespread fame from her regular appearances alongside Paul on television, with The Paul Daniels Magic Show becoming a major success. The show attracted millions of viewers, with regular audiences of 15 million in the UK. Paul and Debbie were married in April 1988 in Buckinghamshire.

Television and Film

Debbie McGee’s television career expanded beyond her work with Paul Daniels. She made an iconic appearance on the 1995 talk show The Mrs Merton Show, hosted by comedian Caroline Aherne. During the interview, Mrs Merton famously asked, “What first attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?” — a line which became widely quoted and was later ranked as Britain’s second-best one-liner in a poll.

In August 2017, Debbie appeared as a contestant on the fifteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing, where she was partnered with professional dancer Giovanni Pernice. Her performance and poise earned her significant attention and admiration, adding a new chapter to her long and varied career in entertainment.

Debbie McGee’s career has spanned across multiple entertainment mediums, from ballet to magic, television, and dance, making her a beloved figure in British entertainment.