Alesha Dixon blown away by "beautiful" BGT wheelchair act

It seems as if Alesha Dixon has been missing Strictly a little, with the judge gushing about how “inspired” she is by ballroom dancing pair Paula and Gary during tonight’s Britain’s Got Talent.

The singer was blown away by Strictly Wheels, who danced magnificently to Empire State of Mind by Alesha Keys for their audition.

Paula, 41, and Gary, 39, describe themselves as the “best of friends” and have been dancing seriously together for the last 18 months.

Paula, who admits that she would “never have put myself down to dance” before she started practicing with Gary, has been in a wheelchair for eight years after contracting MRSA during her 20s.

But the blonde says her condition hasn’t stopped her from doing anything she enjoys. She laughs: “I love dancing, I love going out – I just do things sitting down that’s all!”


Paula and Gary, who won the UK dancing championships at debutante level, started their BGT performance with a slow routine, before thrilling the judges by speeding the music right up and jiving on the stage.

Afterwards, David Walliams says: “I thought that was amazing, you turned what might have been a negative, into a positive! You did things that two dancers wouldn’t normally do.”

Simon tells Strictly Wheels: “I thought it was going to be uncomfortable. But you were fun, I like you. Paula, you are much better than Gary by the way.”

Amanda adds: “Paula, your control of that chair and your muscle in your arms is unbelievable.”