Paul Daniels's Biography

Paul Daniels was born in 1938 and grew up in area called South Bank in Middlesbrough.

Paul Daniels's first breakthrough was when he came second in 1970 in the TV talent show Opportunity Knocks.

Further TV appearances followed but it was not until 1979 that he achieved huge popular appeal with the launch of The Paul Daniels Magic Show.

Amazingly, the show would run for around 15 years until 1994.

He also performed in his own stage show, It's Magic, at the Prince of Wales Theatre from December 1980 until February 1982.

Paul Daniels met Debbie McGee, who had been a soloist in the Iranian National Ballet, in 1979, when she became his assistant.

In 1988, they married. He had been married before, to Jacqueline in 1960. Paul and Jacqueline had three sons, of whom, Martin also became a magician.

Paul Daniels has written an autobiography, Under No Illusions.

In 2010 he became one of the celebrities on Strictly Come Dancing. Paul Daniels was paired with Ola Jordan. They were the second pair to be voted off.

On 1 January 2012, Paul Daniels was building props for his act and accidentally cut off an index finger with a saw. It was later reattached by a surgeon.

On 17 March 2016, Paul Daniels died aged 77, after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.