Debbie McGee criticised after ‘ballet’ showdance in Strictly final

Debbie McGee took a balletic approach to her Strictly Come Dancing showdance in her bid to claim this year’s glitterball trophy.

The radio presenter and wife of the late Paul Daniels performed her dance to Vaults’ One Day I’ll Fly Away alongside partner Giovanni Pernice and scored 38 for the routine.

Dressed in a tutu and playing a dancer in a music box, McGee was described as an “angelic ballerina” by judge Bruno Tonioli.

However, viewers criticised the 59-year-old as she was trained in ballet as a youngster while others said the style did not belong on the ballroom show.

@Laurenndrew tweeted: “Debbie has had classical ballet training. Unfair!!!!”

@Tiaelvidge posted: “Well that was a nice ballet routine from Debbie the trained ballet dancer.”

@Siandavies wrote: “I loved the concept of Debbie’s show dance, it was spectacular??…. but then it should be ballet is where her strength lies.”

@Slyvia_Luisa tweeted: “Was that Debbie, the trained ballet dancer, doing pretty much a full ballet routine, in ballet shoes? Funny that.”

@Sarboy22 posted: “so a former professional ballet dancer (with a national company) who had her own dance troupe is told by the head judge how much of a journey she has been on before being given a 10.”

@Hannahclareking wrote: “Why is Debbie Mcgee doin ballet when thats not a Strictly dance?.”

Meanwhile, Craig Revel Horwood joked it was “dangerous to consider doing ballet when we have old Darcey bus stop here”, in reference to fellow judge Darcey Bussell.

McGee said the dance’s emotional music had led to her ending in tears each time they rehearsed it.

She said: “I got really worried if I got too emotional in it i wouldn’t pull everything off.”