Borough resident Debbie McGee is packing a suitcase for Blackpool after successfully dancing a tango in the BBC TV show Strictly Come Dancing.
Along with bare chested dancing partner Giovanni Pernice, the pair scored 35 from the judges for their salsa to I Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You, by Boys Town Gang.
The astonishing dance saw Debbie be swept of her feet, quite literally, by Giovanni.
Her impressive feat on the dancefloor, which was set up like an opticians, saw her end up third on the leaderboard.
The judges praised Debbie
Bruno Tonioli said: “What a saucy scrumpet you were out there, it was the essence of Salsa. It must be Giovanni’s effect.”
And Darcey Bushell said that the one-handed lift was extraordinary and “incredibly impressive”.
However, Debbie was unable to host her BBC Radio Berkshire show this morning and a weekday breakfast DJ sat in for instead. Debbie did phone in and told listeners: “I’m just amazed how everyone was wowed by that lift. I don’t know why I was amazed, but I was.”
When the pair found out that they would be through to Blackpool week, Giovanni blew kisses to the viewers and Debbie mouthed her thanks.
Afterwards, Giovanni described Debbie as his “cheeky Spice Girl”.
Debbie and Giovanni will now start preparations for their trip to Blackpool next Saturday, one of the most important weeks in the Strictly calendar. And with only eight contestants remaining, competition will be getting more intense.
In a video, Debbie explained why Blackpool was so important. “All the Strictly dancers say it is the spiritual home of ballroom,” she explained.
