SOME might say that being transformed from magician's assistant to artistic director of a ballet company is a trick beyond even Houdini, but for Debbie McGee it is simply going back to her roots.

She first shot to fame as TV magician Paul Daniels' assistant - then as his wife - but ballet was her first calling. She trained with the Royal Ballet and appeared as a dancer on dozens of television shows, before flying out to the Middle East to join the Iranian National Ballet.

Her dancing career in Iran was brought to an abrupt end when revolution broke out in 1979 and she was forced to flee the country. Returning to England, she answered an advertisement for a magician's assistant and the rest is history.

She married Paul Daniels nine years later, in 1988. So why did it take him so long to pop the question? Her answer is typically candid. "Paul always thought I was too young, so he kept me at bay, really.

"By the time I was 29, he realised that I wasn't going to go off with somebody younger, so we decided to get married."

When the news of the marriage was announced, the nation as one raised its eyebrows. More than a decade on, McGee is still happy to explain the attraction. "It is lots of fun - he keeps me on my toes," she said. "He makes me laugh and is an interesting, intelligent person to be with."

So confident is he in his wife's abilities that Daniels is bankrolling her very own ballet company, Ballet Imaginaire. Formed last year with McGee firmly at the helm as artistic director and choreographer, her company is touring the country this autumn with Phantom The Ballet, which has its world premiere at the Civic theatre in Darlington on Wednesday

The story is based on the legendary Phantom of the Opera story by Gaston Leroux which is already a much-acclaimed musical. "For a long time I have thought it would be a great subject for a ballet," she said.

Keen to prove she has done her homework, she delights in telling me that, according to her research, it has only ever been done as a ballet once before, by the Paris Ballet company.

Asked what she found out about herself by taking on the project, she said: "It has stretched me to the limit, but in the nicest possible way. It has been a great challenge, but I have really, really enjoyed doing it. I have had to do things I have never had to do before.

"I love every aspect of having the company, even all the admin and paperwork. But the best part is working with the dancers and seeing it all come together."

While McGee is in the artistic driving seat, her husband has been beavering away behind the scenes.

"He has designed all the scenery, the brochure and posters and has been in most of my planning meetings, coming up with ideas. He is even more into it than me, if that's possible."

But though involved, Daniels is content this time to see McGee in the spotlight.

"I was so wrapped up in the project, I never really thought about being thrust into the limelight. I was just thinking of creating a ballet. I didn't really think of it as me."

Being half of a celebrity couple that the media loves to hate, she justifiably could have become defensive and prickly about her image. But Debbie Mcgee is disarmingly open and retains a healthy sense of perspective.

Above all, she and Daniels have proved they are more than capable of laughing at themselves. They are currently plastered all over TV screens in a string of lager advertisements, singing a duet of the famous Carpenters' hit, Close To You, before being ravaged by a pack of hungry lions.

"They were great fun to make and I am really enjoying them being shown. People stop me in shops and sing it to me. We don't take ourselves seriously at all.

"I think we are a bit mad sometimes and obviously the advert shows that."

Phantom The Ballet opens at Darlington Civic theatre onWednesday and runs until Saturday, September 15.

Contact the box office on 01325 486555. Dan Jenkin