Strictly Come Dancing has been the jumping off point for many a relationship over the course of the past 15 years. Strictly Come Dancing winner Jay McGuinnes has even said “often” romances happen which “no one hears about”. Magician James Phelan, the nephew of Strictly Come Dancing 2017 finalist Debbie McGee, 60, and her late husband Paul Daniels has spent plenty of time backstage on the show over the years and has even had some of the celebrities and professionals join him to take part in his various shows. Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, he opened up about what the programme is really like behind-the-scenes.
“There’s that classic thing of something comes out in the papers and people deny it and you go, ‘But that definitely happened because I was [there],’” he said lightheartedly. “And they just deny it.
“And there’s lots of stuff that I’m sure gets leaked to places but then gets denied beforehand and proof doesn’t come out.
“I think that just comes with that intense, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with the same group of people,” Debbie’s nephew explained.
“It’s that dynamic of throwing 30 people together and make them spend all their time together.
“They’re going to get close and they’re going to get to know reach other,” he continued.
“Some of them are going to lie each other, some of them are going to hate each other and because they’re on that heightened thing of competing and on tele every week, everything is heightened.
“There’s lots of stuff that doesn’t get reported and there’s definitely stuff that has been reported and denied that I know full well is true,” James laughed.
He did not give any indication as to which denied flings he had seen evidence of.
Paul and Debbie’s nephew went on to gush about the atmosphere on Strictly, saying: “There’s nothing really like it on tele. It just takes you into a different world.
“Backstage at Strictly is the best place in the world bar none.
“I have got far too drunk there more often than I should have,” he quipped.
“They’re all lovely. They’re all just the nicest people in the world.”
James has followed in Debbie’s husband Paul’s magical footsteps and recently finished his first ever stint at Edinburgh Festival Fringe with his show, Troublemaker.
He also hosts a radio magic show, Trickster: Live, for the BBC.
On the subject of his Fringe routine, James admitted he tried to steer clear of attempting to reproduce Paul’s tricks.
“I’ve stayed well away from anything of his because if I try and compete I will never win,” he laughed.
“If people end up comparing to him, I will lose.”
