Strictly Come Dancing star and radio host Debbie McGee, 60, said she was “hidden” during the series of events which involved the overthrowing of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi and the replacement of his government. Paul Daniels’ widow opened up on her experience admitting she was “hidden” in a scary situation but was not scared. Speaking to Strictly Come Dancing professional Janette Manrara, 35, on her YouTube blog Talks With Janette, the former ballet dancer explained: “I went into a classical ballet company in Iran’s Tehran. “The reason I went there is because I have always had quite a business head… I had this plan that this company in Iran were paying five times more than what the royal ballet school was paying at that time.
“I would go to Iran for three years save as much money as possible and then come back to England to buy some properties, so that if showbusiness didn’t work out I would have an income.”
She added: “I was there when the revolution broke out.
“If you have seen the film Argo with Ben Affleck, that’s what I went through.”
Janette gasped in shock at Debbie’s story, prompting the latter to reveal more.
The former magician assistant added: “There was a revolution, I got hidden with some of the others.”
Janette then asked: “Were you petrified? That must’ve been so scary.”
Debbie responded: “Well I’ve always been the sort of person where in every situation I’m in, I’m going to get out of it. I have always believed that.
“I don’t remember being scared, I just remember thinking, ‘Right, I need to do something about this.’”
Explaining further how she got out of the situation, she added: “Because I had saved so much money, I could afford a ticket.
“I actually got the last plane out of Tehran airport before they closed it because I paid 10 times more than what it would normally cost.”
Debbie went on to say some of her colleagues didn’t have the money to leave, prompting some of them to have a “nervous breakdown”.
Following her move from the royal ballet school, Debbie worked as a magician’s assistant for her late husband Paul.
The pair tied the knot in 1988, until his death aged 77 following a brain tumour in 2016.
The Strictly star recently opened up about her battle with breast cancer earlier this year, admitting she believes the stress of Paul’s death brought it on.
She told The Sun: “Stress, I think caused mine. I’ve never been through the stress I’ve been through since I lost Paul.
“Grief hits you in so many ways you’re not expecting. It’s not all about sadness.”
Debbie underwent an operation in January to remove two tumours.