Paul Daniels

It seems the reason that Paul Daniels remained so calm and collected following his cancer diagnosis could be more down to the fact that he didn't realise he was dying, rather than his philosophy on life. Wife Debbie McGee opens up about the upsetting circumstances leading up to his death this week.

Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee had a life 'full of laughter'

While the magician was told at hospital following a suspected stroke that he had an inoperable brain tumour, it seems it wasn't something he was well enough to understand and so died without realising that death was on the way.

Continue reading: Debbie McGee Says Paul Daniels Didn't Realise He Was Dying

British magician Paul Daniels has passed away in his sleep at the age of 77, having earlier in the year been diagnosed with an operable brain tumour. While the family were not informed about how long he had left upon the diagnosis, it is not thought that he had been suffering a great deal before his death.

Paul Daniels leaves behind wife Debbie McGee

Daniels returned to his home in Berkshire after spending time in hospital in February, following what the family thought was a stroke. Once doctors informed him and his family that it was, in fact, terminal brain cancer, he chose to spend the rest of his days surrounded by family at home. 

Continue reading: Paul Daniels Has Peacefully Passed Away Overnight Aged 77

One of Britain's most famous magicians, Paul Daniels, is home for his 'final days' as it's revealed that he's dying from inoperable brain cancer after doctor's found a tumour following a suspected stroke. Despite his diagnosis though, the 77-year-old remains bravely upbeat as he cherishes each day he has left.

Paul Daniels spends final days with wife Debbie McGee

The entertainer and his family do not know exactly how much time he has left, but it's clear that he intends to spend it at home in Berkshire with his wife and assistant Debbie McGee and son Martin Daniels, also a magician. Daniels was sent to the Royal Berkshire Hospital after it was thought that he'd had a stroke, but it turned out to be a glial brain tumour that was growing too fast to be treated. Daniels turned down radiotherapy.

Continue reading: Paul Daniels In High Spirits As He Spends His Final Days At Home

Magic tricks are a touchy subject among most grown adults nowadays, with it being literally one of those things where you either love it or you absolutely despise it. But there have been a few street magicians who've really transferred it into youth culture; the likes of West Yorkshire's Steven Frayne, more commonly known as Dynamo, being one obvious example as well as A&E Network star Criss Angel who's known for his cool, rocker style and his superhuman mind-reading skills. 

We also thought, what with the release of Steve Carell's new comedy 'The Incredible Burt Wonderstone', also starring Steve Buscemi and Jim Carrey, it might be a good idea to put together our favourite close-up magic tricks to whet your appetite for its UK cinematic release, ranging from the old classics to the hip street stuff that has quickly risen in popularity. Of course, these ten magic mavens put Wonderstone to shame with some of the sleekest sleight-of-hand tricks on record.

Dynamo: The Vanishing And Re-Appearing Coin Trick

Continue reading: The Amazing World Of The Real Burt Wonderstones - Incredible Close Up Magic

Paul Daniels has caused controversy with a blog suggesting that not all of Jimmy Savile's 450 alleged victims are telling the truth.

We've all had our opinions on the case of the late Jimmy Savile and the numerous child abuse claims that have come through, almost forty years since the events took place. However, the appropriate reaction has been to condemn the man and have sympathy for every one of his 450 victims. Magician Paul Daniels has gone against the grain and published a painfully honest account of his feelings on the allegations and what life was like in the seventies. He mentioned that, while he understood that many of his victims would've kept schtum, he finds that for over 400 of them to have done 'strange'. The Telegraph reported the blog to say, "A bad guy? Undoubtedly, but I have been wondering if all the accusers are for real", he mused on the blog. He said that he isn't even sure if all the girls that chased him at the height of his career were all legal. "Were they all over 16? OMG, I hope so. Can I remember them? No." he said. "Life back then was a blur, and therein lies a major problem with what is going on now. It was 35-40 years ago. How the hell can you say you did or you didn't?"

He has been accused of 'belittling' some of the victims' cases and 'casting doubt' on their evidence by Kidscape. "He should be supporting these people", said former child protection officer Mark Williams Thomas. "The bottom line is they are children who have been abused by adults, it doesn't matter how long ago it was." The blog has since been taken down.

Paul Daniels has been "wondering if all of [Savile's] accusers are for real". And his claims have, inevitably, come under intense scrutiny from groups concerned with the people affected by the sex abuse scandal, The Telegraph reports. 

"I can fully understand some women not wanting to talk about what happened to them, but for over 400 of them to keep quiet for 40 years seems strange," explained Daniels. "What I do find odd about the stories now emerging however is when a "victim" went on TV and stated that she had gone back to the dressing room quite a few times. A bad guy? Undoubtedly, but I have been wondering if all the accusers are for real." Claude Knight, director of Kidscape, said of the magicians comments: "It is belittling and casting doubt on them, it is the last thing you need when you have found the courage to talk about it. I am worried about people trivialising something so serious."

Mark Williams Thomas - a former child protection officer - who was also involved in an ITV documentary which exposed Savile as a paedophile, said: "For someone like Paul Daniels to come out and belittle victim's evidence that's being given against Jimmy Savile is a disgrace because he [Savile] is proven to be an offender.

Continue reading: Paul Daniels Questions Jimmy Savile Victims, Accused Of Belittlement