Newton Edward Daniels, known professionally as Paul Daniels (6 April 1938 – 17 March 2016), was an English magician and widely recognised television entertainer. Over several decades he combined stage illusions, close-up sleight of hand and comic patter to build a public profile that made him one of Britain’s best-known popular magicians. He performed in theatres, on television and in variety venues, cultivating a casual, accessible stage persona.

Television career and public style

Daniels reached national prominence through televised programmes that showcased a mixture of large illusions, quick routines and audience participation. He was a prominent television performer whose programmes mixed demonstration and spectacle with light-hearted banter. His long-running flagship series, The Paul Daniels Magic Show, introduced magic to a wide audience and made memorable moments out of classic tricks and novelty presentations. He was also known for a conversational delivery and a recurring catchphrase that became part of his public persona.

Career highlights

  • Presenter of The Paul Daniels Magic Show, which aired on the BBC from 1979 to 1994, bringing televised magic to mainstream viewers.
  • Host of several BBC game shows including Odd One Out (1982–1985), Every Second Counts (1986–1993) and Wipeout (1994–1997), broadening his appeal beyond magic audiences.
  • Regular live performer and touring artist, often supported on stage by an assistant who became a public figure in her own right.

Daniels’s television work blended educational glimpses into technique with theatrical presentation; while he rarely explained professional secrets in depth, his shows demonstrated the range of modern stage magic and helped normalise contemporary illusion for family viewing.

Personal life

Daniels was born in South Bank, Middlesbrough. In 1960 he married Jacqueline Skipworth and they had three sons. Later, he partnered professionally and personally with his assistant, Debbie McGee, whom he married in 1988; she remained closely associated with his career and public image. His family life and on-stage chemistry with his assistant were widely covered in the popular press.

Later years and legacy

In later years Daniels continued to make television appearances and to perform at public events. He died on 17 March 2016 following illness caused by a brain tumour, at his home in Wargrave, Berkshire, aged 77. His long-running BBC series and frequent public appearances helped popularise magic in the UK and inspired a generation of performers; he remains a reference point in discussions of televised illusion and family entertainment.