STRICTLY finalist Debbie McGee admits she had to “swallow my shyness” in her raunchy rehearsals with Giovanni Pernice.
The 31 year age gap between the pair had no bearing on their sizzling chemistry on the dance floor, with a red hot paso doble, passionate American Tango and steamy salsa wowing fans and the judges.
Debbie McGee said there were sexy moments in Strictly rehearsals with Giovanni Pernice
The pair finished as runners-up in 2017
Debbie, 66, who spent decades as her late husband ‘ glamorous assistant, was no stranger to performing on stage prior to the 2017 series, but even then she needed to push through her comfort zone.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun on behalf of WhichBingo , she says: “I think as a performer, it was quite natural. Because I’m used to having to be something you’re not.
“The thing I remember about the Paso Doble, because Giovanni was this young dancer and you’re in the studio on your own and there were a few sexy moments.
“In the Paso Doble, particularly, it wasn’t ladylike, shall I put it. They were quite raunchy. So I had to swallow my shyness and actually say, ‘this isn’t you. Just go for it. Think of yourself as one of the people you’ve seen on a movie’.
“And that’s what you have to do. You have to lose any inhibitions you’ve got. Just lose them and go for it. So that’s how I treated it.”
Much was made at the time about Debbie being a more mature contestant and her ability to do the splits and raise her leg to her head in her late 50s.
But the focus on age was never an issue for Debbie, who just wanted to prove that she could still go out there, be athletic and have fun in sequins.
“I thought of it more that I was inspiring other women over 50 to, life doesn’t end there,” she says.
“You can actually do whatever you want. Don’t think that just because you’re that number, you’re that old. And I’ve learned that from my father.
“He said, ‘your mum and I never think about age or dying. We just get on with living’, because I moaned at him for climbing a ladder onto the roof of his house.
“And he was about 68 or something. And he said, ‘when I stop doing it is when you should worry’.
“So that was my attitude. And strictly, I give it my best shot.”
Six years on from her Strictly final, pro partner Giovanni came under fire from , who accused him of inappropriate behaviour in rehearsals.
The scandal overshadowed the series and
The Sicilian pro denied being a bully, though admitted to strict training methods. The investigation upheld some complaints of verbal abuse, though he was cleared of physical aggression.
Giovanni ultimately left the show and ended up becoming a pro dancer on the Italian version: Ballando con le Stelle.
During the fallout, Debbie spoke out in support of Giovanni, a stark contrast to some of his other celeb partners like Laura Whitmore and Ranvir Singh, who raised issues of their own and supported Amanda.
Addressing the scandal now, Debbie says: “I think they’re in a very difficult position, and I think if it was just down to the people running the show they might have made different decisions.
Debbie said she had to ‘swallow her shyness’
The glamorous performer was praised for her flexibility
“But the BBC is a big corporation and you’ve got to be seen to be fair. I think they did the best they did with the investigations.”
Another Italian pro, , was axed from the show following the 2023 series after kicking his celeb partner Zara McDermott in the rehearsal room.
Debbie says of his exit: “I don’t know how much they investigated Graziano, and he went so quickly.
“And I actually thought that was a shame, because Graziano started the year after me, but I’ve done quite a few jobs with him and he’s a really sweet guy.
“I trained at the Royal Ballet School and teachers hit you and pushed your leg. And you were in agony. Any sports person has to be pushed beyond their limits if you want to be good.
“And Strictly, it’s a competition. It’s like being a runner in the Olympics or whatever. I’m not saying he did the right or the wrong thing, but it hasn’t put me off the programme. I just think that it’s such a difficult situation. And I’m a believer anyway that things happen in your life for a reason.
“And it’s taken Giovanni on a different route. I wouldn’t have wanted anyone to go through the stress that he went through, or Amanda because obviously there were issues that she felt.”
With her Strictly days behind her, Debbie is currently concentrating on a televised tribute to her late husband Paul to mark the 10th anniversary of his death.
Two years in the making, the project has taken lots of effort to get over the line and could even see screens later this year.
She says: “I don’t believe in luck. I think you have to work at it.
“And I’m always throwing ideas at my agent. And luckily he’s a person that’s always happy to put them out there and whatever. And you have to put hundreds out there before one gets taken.
“And the one thing I’ve got coming up for Paul, you know, is that it’s taken me and my agent two years to get that. And now we’ve got it.”
