Debbie McGee has described her last days with husband Paul Daniels before he died for the first time revealing his cancer left him in tears.
The famous magician and TV host died in March 2016 at the age of 77 after he was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.
He and Debbie, his assistant, married in 1988. The discovery of his terminal cancer saw their world change – a period she has rarely spoken about.
Now Debbie, 63, has opened up about the heartbreaking moments during their final months together. She said: “This cruel disease stripped him of everything within a few short weeks to the point where he collapsed on the bathroom floor and I held him as he wept and asked me what was happening.”
First noticing a change in her husband late in 2015, when they were appearing in panto together, Debbie said she “broke down” when told the bleak diagnosis.
But, she vowed to make Paul’s remaining time comfortable. She said: “Without hesitation I made arrangements for Paul to come home and to care for him myself at our home on the River Thames in Berkshire.
“Time was short – we had been given a prognosis of two months – in the end we had just one month and five days.
“When Paul was well enough we would stroll around the garden down to the water’s edge.
“We watched movies together and ate ice cream. Paul was never able to talk about his diagnosis but of course he knew he was dying.”
Paul died on March 17, 2016, with Debbie at his side. Describing his last week, she said: “He loved life too much to just give up. Although Paul’s voice was weaker we’d continued to share a joke.”
At the end Debbie said she “held his hand and told him that I loved him”.
Her story – revealed for the first time – was told to charity Brain Tumour Research in 2017 has been released with her blessing to raise awareness.
