Debbie McGee has reflected on the loss of her beloved husband, Paul Daniels. Married to the magician for 28 years, the Strictly star was by his side after learning that Paul had been diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour that left him with less than two months to live.

Recalling the moment she found out, Debbie told The Telegraph: "When the neurosurgeon asked: 'Do you want to know what's wrong?' he replied, 'No, tell Deb,' and left the room". In the moment that followed, Debbie was completely blindsided.

In keeping with her husband's request to stay in the dark, it was Debbie who broke the news of his diagnosis to his three sons. "It's the hardest phone call you can ever make," she admitted.

Paul's particular condition, also known as a glioblastoma, was incurable, and after considering medical treatment, which came with no guarantees of improving his condition, Debbie and Paul's sons decided against it.

In the final weeks of Paul's life, Debbie looked after him at their home near Henley-on-Thames. "He got to see all his boys and his two grandchildren. The weather was really good, so we would walk down the garden to the water and he would have a Magnum every afternoon, because he loved ice cream. I have happy memories of that time," she revealed.

While Debbie admits that she'd sometimes cry when Paul wasn't around, the TV star managed to stay in good spirits. "For the time he was at home – a month and five days – I was cheery. I put my makeup on and did my hair every day, and we shared loads of jokes. I just kept saying to myself, 'Don't look forward and don't look back; concentrate on this minute.'"

While Paul had refrained from learning about his official diagnosis, Debbie notes that he eventually asked her to tell him what it was after suffering a fall in their bathroom. "I said, 'Well, darling, do you really want to know?' and he said yes, so I replied, 'You've got a brain tumour.' I don't know whether he was ever able to absorb that information" she told The Telegraph.

Paul eventually passed away on March 17, 2016. He was 77. In the years since, Debbie has continued to live in their mansion in Wargrave, Berkshire, though she's redecorated the bedroom where he died. In a bid to keep busy, Debbie has also continued to take on new projects and has appeared on Radio Berkshire, and in episodes of Loose Women, before competing in Strictly Come Dancing in 2017. More recently, she's also become a patron for Brain Tumour Research.