- Magician became one of Britain's most popular entertainers after he brought his magic show to weekend TV
- It was revealed in February that the 77-year-old had been diagnosed with brain tumour after a fall at home
- Daniels had insisted on returning home to die, previously telling his family: 'When it's your time, it's your time'
- He and wife Debbie McGee had been one of TV's best-loved couples. She was at his side when he passed away
- Tributes have poured in from around the world of showbusiness, with fellow stars saying he was one of a kind
- His son Martin described how a meteor flashed in the sky moments after his father's passing, adding: ‘What an exit'
The
world of showbusiness has paid tribute to magician Paul Daniels, who
died at his home this morning after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.
The
entertainer's wife, Debbie McGee, who has worked with him throughout
his career, was at his side when he passed away aged 77 in the early
hours of this morning.
The
star had chosen to spend his final weeks at his home in the picturesque
Berkshire village of Wargrave, near Reading, telling his son: 'When
it's your time, it's your time'.
This morning, family members were seen at the property as a private ambulance arrived to take away the magician.
His
son Martin, himself a magician, later described how a meteor flashed in
the sky over the house in the moments after his father's passing,
tweeting: 'My dad passed away and meteor flashes in the sky. What an
exit.'
Television
magician Paul Daniels died at home in the earlier hours of this morning,
aged 77, after being diagnosed with a brain tumour
Daniels, pictured at home with his
wife Debbie McGee, who worked with him throughout his career. She
His
son Gary Daniels also paid an emotional tribute to his father, posting a
picture of a rabbit in a magician's black hat with a tear it its eye.
Outside the hat was an Ace of Hearts playing card with the heart broken.
He added: 'It is with incredible sadness that I can confirm that Dad,
Paul Daniels, passed away over night.'
Meanwhile,
Daniels's 24-year-old nephew James Phelan, who also became a magician,
praised his uncle for inspiring 'a whole generation of magicians'.
‘There
is so much inspiration that I have drawn from his career - and it's not
just me personally, he has inspired a whole generation of magicians,'
he told Sky News.
'It makes it very difficult for us to be too sad when there is such a celebration of love and joy from all directions.'
A
spokesman for the star also paid tribute to the 'beloved entertainer' as
he confirmed that Daniels had 'passed away peacefully at home with
Debbie at his side.'
It
was announced last month that Daniels, who rose to fame in the 1970s
and 80s, wowing TV audiences with his magic tricks and humour on The
Paul Daniels Magic Show, had terminal brain cancer.
Martin
Daniels later said that the star fell at home in February and was
rushed to Royal Berkshire Hospital suspected of having suffered a
stroke. However, after tests were carried out by doctors, he was later
diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.
Ms
McGee worked alongside him as an assistant during his career and,
earlier this month, she thanked fans for their 'wonderful messages' of
support.
This morning, a private ambulance arrived at Daniels's home in Wargrave, Berkshire, to take away the magician's body
Daniels's
son Gary announced the news on Twitter this morning, tweeting this
message with a picture of a tearful rabbit appearing from a hat. Fellow
magician Jamie Raven (right) was among the scores of showbiz stars
telling of their sorrow this morning
A number of
stars took to Twitter this morning to paid tribute to Daniels,
including Amanda Holden, Arlene Phillips, Paul Chuckle, Keith Chegwin
and Louis Theroux. Scott Penrose, chairman of the magic circle,
She
wrote on Twitter: 'I wish I could answer all your wonderful messages
individually but there are so many. They are all appreciated so much.
Paul and I had no (idea) of how people felt. Truly amazing. Thank you.
Speaking
earlier this month, Martin Daniels - one of three sons from the
entertainer's first marriage - said the family did not know how long his
father had left.
He
said: 'There's no treatment which can help him. Doctors haven't said
how many weeks or months he might have - and we haven't asked.
'He
knows things are not in his hands now and we are living in the
knowledge every day is a bonus. It is unbearably difficult. He has said
before "When it's your time, it's your time" and that's how he is trying
to face up to things.'
Tributes
have poured in from around the world of entertainment and magic, with
fellow stars saying he was one of a kind and 'an inspiration'.
Britain's
Got Talent judge Amanda Holden tweeted: 'RIP Paul Daniels. He was a
trail blazer for magic and will be missed love to Debbie McGee and
family X'
Fellow
TV presenter Keith Chegwin tweeted: 'We have lost a lovely, kind and
MAGIC man Paul Daniels. Love you and thinking of you, Debbie McGee. I
shall miss him 'A LOT'.'
Louis
Theroux, who made a fly-on-the wall documentary about Daniels and his
wife, said: 'RIP Paul Daniels, a thoughtful skeptic, enemy of
hucksterism and paranormal flimflam, and gifted magician. My condolences
to his family.'
Magician
Scott Penrose, who was proposed as president of the Magic Circle by
Daniels, told MailOnline today: 'You'll never see another magician like
him quite frankly.
'If
you cast your mind back to the height of his career he was getting
20million viewers watching his show. You'll never see a magician
attaining a record like that.
'He
was a great all-round performer - he was an entertaining magician in so
far as he was very funny, but he was a very talented magician as well.
He was a great thinker of magic. He was an inspiration to not just my
generation of magicians but probably the ones before and the generation
after.
'He
inspired so many. He was just a great all-round magician and everybody
just loved him. He was amazing. The magic world has lost a friend, and
I've lost a friend.'
Magician
Dynamo also praised Daniels, saying he had taken 'so much inspiration'
from his acts and that he was 'devastated' by the news.
The
Bradford-raised entertainer said: 'Paul was truly a giant of the
entertainment world who really defined magic for over 20 years.
'As
a working-class magician from the North, he was personally a huge
inspiration for me and I know that he has inspired countless magicians
around the world and will forever be known as one of the all-time
greats. He's a magic legend to me.’
Top
TV producer Johnny Hamp, who gave Daniels his big break after spotting
his star qualities in the 70s, said he was 'probably the best magician
this country's ever produced.'
Daniels
became a favourite of audiences around the country in the 1970s, 80s and
90s with his TV magic show. He worked into his seventies
His wife Debbie, pictured with him in 1983, had worked alongside him as a magician's assistant throughout his career
Daniels pictured with his two sons
Paul Junior (right) and Martin (left) in 1981. He had three sons with
his
'It's
very sad, It's happened so quickly, it's unbelievable,' he said. 'It
was expected, but I didn't think it was going to be so fast. I feel
choked about it.'
FANS REMEMBER BOX OF TRICKS WHICH BROUGHT MAGIC TO THOUSANDS OF BRITISH HOMES
One
of Daniels's legacies will be his magic box sets, which were a hit
with children across Britain who wanted to emulate his tricks in front
of their friends and families.
Among
those remembering them today were author Mikey Walsh, who tweeted of
his box: 'When I thought I could have people running in fear from my
awesome magical powers .'
Film
reviewer Nick de Semlyen added: 'Wonder how many people, like me, put
magic shows on for their families using the Paul Daniels trick set. My
finale: lifting ice with string.'
He
added: 'A lot of people said he was difficult to work with, but I
always found him great; a good friend. I think it was because he was a
perfectionist. He was meticulous about all his props, and people treated
them with care.
'He used to play all sorts of tricks on the stagehands.'
Mark
Linsey, acting director of BBC Television said: 'Paul was an
outstanding showman and one of the great entertainers of BBC television.
'His
long-running magic show delighted viewers, as did his BBC One quiz
shows Odd One Out, Wipeout and Every Second Counts and children's
favourite Wizbit. He will be missed and our thoughts are with his
family.'
Before
his death, Daniels encouraged members of the public to donate money for
research into cancer and a gofundmepage to raise funds was set up by
his son Gary.
A
message on Daniels' official Twitter page said: 'If everyone donated
just £1 we could give over £56000 to charity, this is to help others,
not me.'
Since
his death was announced, donations have been flooding in with £5,000
now raised. The proceeds will be split between The Brain Tumour
Research.Org, The Royal Berkshire Hospital Charity, The Grand Order of
Water Rats and the Royal Theatrical Fund.
Over
the years, Daniels lent his time and support to various charities,
often entertaining children at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Last year,
he supported the Garden Re-Leaf appeal, which aimed to raise funds to
support families who use children's hospices around the UK.
Daniels has lived in the £2.5million home in Wargrave where he died since he and Ms McGee bought it together in 1998.
It
was devastated by flooding from the River Thames in 2003 but survived
more flooding in 2014 after they carried out major protective works
including having floodgates and pumps installed.
Friend
and singer Vince Hill, a neighbour to Daniels and his wife, who sung
the worldwide hit Edleweiss, said: 'He was the most brightest of sparks
and a true magician and a fantastic neighbour. He will be sorely missed
by showbusiness as well as his friends and family.
'He was an oddball character but delightfully so. He was very smart and very clever.'
Jayne
Worral, who works at his local pub The Bull in Wargrave, said she had
known the entertainer for more than 40 years and that he had always been
down-to-earth.
She
first met him when he performed as part of the cabaret circuit at the
Apollo Hotel in St Helier, Jersey, in 1972, where she worked for a car
hire company.
Daniels,
pictured (left) performing a trick in 1981, worked well into his
seventies and appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2010
Daniels appeared on the Ali G in 2001, dressed as the comedian, to be interviewed by Caroline Aherne in her Mrs Merton guise
Mrs
Worral said: 'They gave me a free ticket for one night. I was
completely mesmerised by him and thinking "how does he do it?" One trick
gelled into another. I went every night for two weeks and I watched him
like a hawk.
'I
remember saying to him "if I don't see your name in lights, I want to
know why". One day I was reading the Radio Times and I saw this name
Paul Daniels and thought "it has to be him", and it was."
They remained in contact and coincidentally both moved to the Thameside village of Wargrave in 1998.
Mrs
Worral said: 'The nice thing about Paul is that fame and fortune didn't
change him at all. He didn't play out a role - "I'm Paul Daniels". What
you saw on TV, that was Paul. He never sought attention, he'd have a
quiet meal with his family. He was an ordinary guy, a boy done good.
'Debbie McGee, my heart goes out to her big time. They weren't just husband and wife, they were soulmates.'
Steven
Lee, 42, who wrote the play Don't Dribble On The Dragon, which was the
last show Daniels ever worked on, said the star had 'tremendous
enthusiasm.'
Mr Lee, of Guildford, Surrey, said: 'We hope Don't Dribble On The Dragon will be a tribute to his amazing legacy.
'This was the absolute last thing he did. It is humbling.'
He
added: 'Paul Daniels had tremendous enthusiasm and endless energy. He
was an old-fashioned guy with dignity and good morals, he said he would
do the show and there was never any question he wouldn't.'
Britain's
Got Talent magician Jamie Raven tweeted this morning: 'I am so sorry to
hear about the passing of Paul Daniels. All my thoughts are with Debbie
McGee and family.'
Musician
Rick Wakeman, who played with David Bowie, tweeted: 'I am so sad at so
many friends passing away. Paul Daniels and Debbie were great friends
& a wonderful couple. I shall miss Paul greatly.'
And
magician Stephen Barry said on Facebook: 'Just heard the sad news that
Paul Daniels died this morning. He was my inspiration as a child and
this is a sad loss to the magic community.
'I
was very lucky to have interviewed him at his house for a college
project I was doing back in 1998 and am also proud to have shared the
stage with him at the Magic Circle.'
Former
England cricket caption Michael Vaughan tweeted: 'Gutted... loved Paul
Daniels ... 'You'll like this, not a lot, but you'll like this'.
#RIPPaul.'
Strictly
Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips said on Twitter: 'Sorry to hear of
the death of Paul Daniels. My thoughts are with you, Debbie McGee.'
Dancer
James Jordan, the husband of Strictly professional Ola Jordan who was
partnered with Daniels in 2010, said: 'Such sad news about Paul Daniels.
I grew up watching him and his show on BBC. RIP. My thoughts are with
Debbie and your family.'
James
Wharton, Conservative MP for Stockton South, said on Twitter that
Middlesbrough-born Daniels was a 'childhood TV fixture and Teesside
legend'.
Escapologist
Jonathan Goodwin added: 'A very sad day indeed. RIP Paul Daniels. An
inspiration to so many. The amazing speciality acts on his show inspired
me to do what I do.'
London-based
magician Richard Wiseman tweeted: 'Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee
inspired an entire generation of magicians, including me and my pals.
RIP Paul.'
And
Australian magician Matt Tarrant said: 'Incredibly sad news for the
magic community as we lose a great. RIP Paul Daniels, my love to Debbie
and family.'
'A
natural showman who wanted to make people happy': Television star Paul
Daniels fell in love with magic aged 11 and had his first break at a
Newquay summer season before spending his life entertaining fans
By Steph Cockroft for MailOnline
Paul Daniels was one of Britain’s best-loved entertainers who charmed the nation for decades with his rare magic touch.
During
the Eighties and Nineties, his success in the magic and entertainment
world was unrivalled and he could often draw in audiences of up to 20m.
His
glittering 41-year career was dominated by The Paul Daniels Magic Show,
which gave a vital new lease of life to magic on TV and took the
coveted prime-time Saturday night slot on the BBC for more than 15 years
.
An
inspiration to generations of performers, the magician moved from stage
to television with ease, his wit, charm, and magic skills earning him a
reputation which landed him performances for Princes William and Harry,
Prime Ministers John Major and James Callaghan and others.
Paul
Daniels (pictured left in 1985 and right with his wife Debbie McGee) was
one of Britain’s best-loved entertainers and a star of Saturday night
television in the Eighties and Nineties, who success in the magic and
entertainment world was unrivalled
His 41-year career was dominated by
The Paul Daniels Magic Show, which took the coveted prime-time Saturday
night slot on the BBC for more than 15 years, after its launch in 1979
Famous
for his self-deprecating humour, his catchphrase - ‘You’ll like this
... not a lot, but you’ll like it!’ - became known the world over and
fans from Australia, Canada and Japan flocked to see him.
One
of his most enduring legacies will be his magic box sets, which were a
hit with children across Britain who wanted to emulate his tricks in
front of their friends and families.
But
the showman consolidated his place in the public's heart through his
double act with his wife Debbie McGee, to whom he was married for 28
years. The pair had met when McGee auditioned for his show and they went
on to form one the most established magician-and-assistant acts in the
world, vowing never to retire from the industry they Daniels so
passionately loved.
Even
in his hospital bed as he battled terminal cancer, Daniels was ever the
showman. In a stirring anecdote about his father's charm, his son
Martin - one of three children from his first marriage - described how
Daniels would go around the patients' beds, saying hello and making
jokes, before chanting 'roll up, roll up, visiting time time is over
folks',
Born in
Middlesbrough in 1938, Daniels's interest in magic began at the age of
11 when he read a book about entertaining at parties. After his National
Service, Daniels developed his magic skills in working men's clubs
The showman went on the marry Debbie
McGee, his assistant during the show's reign, and the pair became one of
the most established magician-and-assistant acts in the world as they
toured all over the world
'But
that’s Dad,' Martin said. 'He is a natural showman, a natural
entertainer and even at a time like that he wanted to try and make
others happy.'
Born
in Middlesbrough in 1938 as Newton Edward Daniels, Daniels's interest
in magic began at the age of 11 when he read a book called 'How to
Entertain at Parties' while on a rainy summer holiday with his family.
'We
couldn't go out because of the bad weather and one of the books in the
place we were staying in had magic tricks in it that you could do
yourself,' he said in an interview.
'I
was very shy but found out I could go to school and do some tricks. The
fact that people didn't know how the hell I was doing it made me
continue doing it.'
But,
even by his own admission, Daniels's success came slowly. After
training as an accountant, working in his parents’ grocery business and
completing his National Service, Daniels eventually began developing his
magic skills in working men's clubs in the late 1960s. While performing
at a club in Bradford, he adopted his famous catchphrase as a way to
deal with a heckler.
Pictured in 1990, magician Paul
Daniels seen adopting the Marlene Dietrich look for an episode of the
popular Paul Daniels Magic Show
An
inspiration to generations of performers, the magician transcended every
medium of entertainment, moving from stage to television with ease. He
later toured with Ms McGee (with whom he is pictured left and right in
1995) and was doing shows just weeks before he died
In
1969, he was offered a summer season at Newquay and decided to become a
full-time performer and, the following year, Daniels made his TV debut
on talent series Opportunity Knocks, and came second.
But
it was in 1975 that he got his big TV break, after being spotted by
producer Johnnie Hamp - responsible for the early TV appearances of The
Beatles, Cilla Black and Woody Allen - who gave him a regular slot on
The Wheeltappers And Shunters Social Club, a variety show on ITV hosted
by the late Bernard Manning.
Four
years later, Daniels launched The Paul Daniels Magic Show on BBC, which
came an instant hit, quickly making Daniels one of the best-paid
entertainers on British television.
One
of its most popular items was the Bunko Booth in which Daniels exposed
the techniques of confidence tricksters. The show attracted audiences of
15 million in the UK, and was sold to 43 countries, before it was axed
in 1994 due to a ratings slump.
In
1983, in honour of his popularity and success, Daniels was presented
with the prestigious 'Magician of the Year' Award by the Hollywood
Academy of Magical Arts in Los Angeles.
But,
despite having stopped the show nearly 20 years ago, Daniels continued
as a household name. He went on to host popular quiz shows for the BBC
including Every Second Counts, Odd One Out and Wipeout and narrated the
children's TV show
Mr Daniels was a divorcé with three
teenage sons when he met Ms McGee — and eyebrows were raised when he
fell for the 20-year-old dancer who was auditioning for his show in
Great Yarmouth. They married in 1988
Daniels also toured around USA, Canada and New Zealand, and appeared in West End theatre shows in Las Vegas and Broadway.
In
later years, Daniels and McGee participated in various TV shows
including Channel 5's The Farm, ITV's The X Factor: Battle Of The Stars
and Channel 4's Celebrity Wife Swap, in which Daniels tried living with
Vanessa Feltz.
The
couple also found themselves in the public eye in 2001, when Louis
Theroux made a fly-on-the-wall documentary about them as they tried to
re-establish Debbie’s former career as a ballet dancer.
Daniels
married his first wife, his childhood sweetheart Jacqueline Skipworth,
in 1960, but they separated when their youngest son was just six weeks
old, something which led to fractious relationship with his sons. He
went on to marry his second wife Debbie McGee, a trained ballet dancer,
in 1988.
When
McGee met Daniels at an audition for the show in Great Yarmouth, she
was a soloist in the Iranian National Ballet in Tehran who had been
forced to flee the country when the 1979 Iranian Revolution broke out.
When McGee
met Daniels at an audition for the show in Great Yarmouth, she was a
soloist in the Iranian National Ballet in Tehran who had been forced to
flee the country when the 1979 Iranian Revolution broke out. They are
pictured left in 2005 as Fred Astaire and Judy Garland in Stars in their
Eyes and right in 1988
At
the time, he was a 40-year-old divorcé of 18 years with three teenage
sons - and eyebrows were raised that he had fallen for the 20-year-old
dancer, who was only a few years older than his children.
But
they tied the knot nine years later, leaving to a 28-year marriage, in
which they also remained professional partners. They lived together in a
£2.5m riverside house in Wargrave, Berkshire
Describing
the moment they met in an interview, he said: ‘I remember her sitting
on a wall outside the rehearsal room, looking like the little mannequin
drawing between the paragraphs of Playboy magazine. We got chatting. She
had personality and life — and presence.'
Ms
McGee was famously humiliated by comedian Caroline Aherne on The Mrs
Merton Show in 1995, when she was asked: ‘So, Debbie, what attracted you
to the millionaire Paul Daniels?’ She laughed it off, insisting: ‘When I
married Paul - in 1988 - he wasn’t one.’
Daniels
has previously spoken openly about his relationships with women. In his
2000 autobiography, Under No Illusion, he boasted of having sexual
liaisons with 300 women. He also had an encounter with a schoolgirl
hitchhiker, but asked her to get out of his car when he realised her
age. The book had an entire chapter entitled Casual Sex.
The showman, who has three sons from
his first marriage to Jacqueline Skipworth, is pictured with his girl
dancers from his award-winning Montreux Show in 1985
Mr Daniel's
career took him around the world with his magic shows performed in
countries including USA, Canada, New Zealand. He was well known for his
'You'll like this ... not a lot, but you'll like it' catchphrase
In
2006, Daniels’ exploits made the front pages after he was photographed
kissing a student at a magic show at Hull University. In a subsequent
interview, he said: ‘I kissed about 60 girls that night.’
Meanwhile,
professionally, Daniels had plenty to keep him busy in later life. He
ran a £100-a-head magic lessons, an online merchandise business and a
party shop in Wigan. Daniels also took part in Strictly Come Dancing in
2010, on which he was partnered with Ola Jordan, and exited after three
weeks.
Away
from the TV screens, Daniels entertained children at Great Ormond
Street Hospital and took part in numerous charity events, especially
those with children at their heart. Last year, he supported the Garden
Re-Leaf appeal, which aimed to raise funds to support families who use
children's hospices around the UK.
Daniels's career took him around the
world with his magic shows performed in countries including USA, Canada,
New Zealand and he appeared in West End theatre shows in Las Vegas and
Broadway
Daniels
(left in 1980 and right in 1993) got his big break in 1975 when he was
seen by TV producer Johnnie Hamp - responsible for the early TV
appearances of The Beatles, Cilla Black and Woody Allen - and given a
regular slot on The Wheeltappers And Shunters Social Club
He entertained children at Great
Ormond Street Hospital and took part in numerous charity events,
especially those with children at their heart. He is pictured with McGee
in 1989
In later years, Daniels and McGee
participated in various TV shows including Channel 5's The Farm, ITV's
The X Factor: Battle Of The Stars and Channel 4's Celebrity Wife Swap,
in which Daniels tried living with Vanessa Feltz (pictured together)
Daniels
also took part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2010 with his partner Orla
Jordan. One cha cha dance saw him reprise his role as a magician
He was in the middle of tour around the UK with McGee - the Intimate Magic Show - when he was forced to pull out of the shows.
In
an interview last year, while appearing in a pantomime production of
Aladdin in Ipswich, he hinted that he was having health problems - but
refused to let them get in the way of what he loves doing most.
‘Yes,
things suddenly slam you down, but you’ve got to get up and fight
again,’ he said. ‘I have a wonderful happy life and a fabulous wife.’
It
was later reported that his wife had taken him to hospital after he
lost his balance and fell at his home on the banks of the River Thames
in Berkshire. She then provided him with round-the-clock care took him
into Royal Berkshire Hospital where a scan showed he had inoperable
brain cancer.
Three
years ago, he had spoken openly about his own mortality: 'Death isn't
scary - it's just like going to sleep. It doesn't bother me because when
your time's up, your time's up. Some people can't take that,' he said.
Daniels, who died from a brain tumour, leaves his wife and three sons, Martin, Paul, and Gary.
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