CAR A LINK TO LATE HUSBAND PAUL

DEBBIE McGee is moved to tears when Richard Hammond reunites her with her treasured classic car.

- By James Rampton

The widow of magician Paul Daniels was distraught when her Mercedes SL — registration 8 DEB — was written off after being damaged by flooding.

Not wanting to scrap the car due to its connection to her late husband, who died in 2016, she took it to former Top Gear host Richard’s garage to be restored.

The results — and emotional handover — can be seen in tomorrow night’s episode of Richard Hammond’s Workshop.

Debbie, whose weekly Strictly Come Dancing column you can read in tomorrow’s Daily Express or at express.co.uk, says: “I love everything about that car. Obviously, there is the emotional attachment to Paul. It was also my dream car.”

When Richard, 55, returns the immaculately restored Mercedes to her, Debbie is overwhelmed by emotion and at first is unable to speak.

Clasping her face in her hands, the 66-year-old manages to finally say: “Wow! Oh, my goodness! I’m a lot better now that I’ve seen my car!”

After stroking the Mercedes’ bonnet she adds: “Hello, you're back!”

Richard sums up the joy of restoring cars by saying: “It’s a good feeling and not just because she is the lovely Debbie McGee off the television. But also because she is very lovely and she loves that car, and it’s just right on her. You can see that.”

Debbie is not the only one who becomes overwhelmed when first setting eyes on a revived vehicle in Richard’s Discovery+