She later joined Dougie Squires's Second Generation troupe as a dancer, which involved touring Europe with acts including Chris de Burgh and James Last. After winter work in pantomime, McGee joined Daniels again for his 1980 summer season in Bournemouth. She then performed in his London stage show It's Magic, which opened on 10 December 1980 and which, by the time it closed 14 months later, had become the longest running magic show ever to play in the West End. [5] [ unreliable source?] McGee attended Our Lady Immaculate RC Primary School in Tolworth, followed by Tolworth Girls' School, a secondary school also in Tolworth. At the age of 16 McGee auditioned for and won a place at the Royal Ballet School. After graduating, she joined the Iranian National Ballet Company in Tehran. Aged 19, she became part of the Corps de Ballet and later a soloist, but her ballet career was brought to an abrupt halt by the Iranian Revolution. She was forced to flee the country and returned to the UK with little in the way of money and possessions. Seeking new work she auditioned for the Bernard Delfont Organisation, which was responsible for a number of big summer resort shows and touring productions. [5] [6] [7] Who is Debbie McGee? Celebrity MasterChef contestant profile". Radiotimes.com . Retrieved 23 September 2017. Brennan, Andrew. "The Magic Circle Maskelyne Award". Themagiccircle.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021 . Retrieved 19 December 2017. Tenable All Stars Christmas Special Episode 1". Press Centre . Retrieved 31 March 2020. [ permanent dead link]

Delfont found her a job performing on stage with magician Paul Daniels in his 1979 summer show at the Britannia Pier Theatre in Great Yarmouth. She met Daniels on 23 May 1979 at rehearsals for the show, which were held at a church hall in London. [4] [7] [8] In a minute or so when my cue comes, I’ll slip off the top layer of my costume, get in position and prepare to reappear in what seems like a different outfit and from what seems like a tiny space. It’s magic. The audience applaud, delighted that they have been fooled.

When I first started working as a magician’s assistant in a late-night cabaret show in a small central-London theatre, I couldn’t have anticipated just how much it would change my performing life. Stage magic and illusion had not, unsurprisingly, been part of my training at university and drama school, but they opened up a whole new world of stagecraft, audience interaction, pacing and physicality that helped me unlearn and relearn ways to be and communicate on stage, as well as to direct and focus the attention of audiences. Smiles, Mieka (13 October 2014). " 'I wasn't a millionaire when I married Debbie McGee', says Paul Daniels as he debunks famous Mrs Merton one-liner". Teesside Gazette.

Edwards, Chris (26 January 2019). " Strictly Come Dancing star Debbie McGee reveals terrifying breast cancer diagnosis: "It scared me to death" ". Digital Spy . Retrieved 31 August 2022. In January 2019, McGee announced that she had overcome the early stages of breast cancer in 2018, however after a small surgical procedure was given the all-clear. [16] Other work [ edit ] Dance company [ edit ]How female magicians broke through the Magic Circle's boys' club". Newsweek.com. 29 September 2016 . Retrieved 16 December 2017. On 1 April 2007, McGee appeared along with her husband, Vanessa Feltz, and her fiancé Ben Ofoedu in a celebrity edition of Channel 4's hit reality television show Wife Swap. In 2008 McGee appeared on Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway. On 14 September 2010, McGee appeared on the celebrity version of Come Dine with Me. Hogan, Michael (16 December 2017). "Strictly Come Dancing 2017 live final: Joe McFadden lifts glitterball trophy despite being outscored by Alexandra Burke". Telegraph.co.uk . Retrieved 19 December 2017. As the assistant in a comedy magic show, the constant direct engagement with the audience and use of audience volunteers was a total departure from my previous experience as an actor. I learned through trial and error to develop a sense of who might play along if invited on stage.

Debbie McGee also known as Seun Soloye Chats to Us about Her Celebrity Wedding to Paul Daniels". Weddingtv.com. Archived from the original on 2 February 2009 . Retrieved 18 November 2007. A comedy magic show might not seem like the perfect place to challenge the lazy sexism of traditional performative presentations of gender onstage, but in my experience a female assistant can send up and subvert the stereotypes by encouraging the audience to laugh at them. Later in the summer of that year, she appeared in a fringe theatre show in London called Frank's Closet. [32] a b c d Lane, Harriet (2 July 2000). "Spellbound". The Guardian. London . Retrieved 4 December 2013. In 2004 McGee presented Box Jumpers, a two-part radio documentary about magician's assistants for BBC Radio 4. [10] [17] She works as a presenter for BBC Radio Berkshire, where, since 8 June 2008, she has hosted a regular Sunday morning show from 9am to noon. [18]In December 2019, McGee appeared in the quiz show Tenable All Stars for a Christmas special. [27] Other activities [ edit ] a b c Tyrrel, Rebecca (August 2000). "Deb's delight". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 25 December 2007 . Retrieved 18 November 2007. Find sources: "Debbie McGee"– news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR ( May 2014) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) Marriages England and Wales 1984–2005". Findmypast.com. Archived from the original on 28 February 2009 . Retrieved 18 February 2012. In 2001, McGee and Daniels were the subjects of an episode of When Louis Met..., a documentary filmed by Louis Theroux. The episode, titled When Louis Met... Paul and Debbie, was broadcast on BBC Two and subsequently Netflix. [20]

In 2017, McGee appeared alongside Nigel Havers, Simon Callow and Lorraine Chase in Barging Loving Celebs.Brandreth, Gyles (11 December 2001). "Something weird about Louis". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 26 March 2016. Sometimes she needs the audience to notice her actions and at other times she absolutely needs them to ignore her. The latter can be achieved through non-verbal signals such as subtle changes in body language, posture and gaze.