WHEN Stephen Mulhern’s new magic book goes on sale today, he is under no illusion what a bittersweet moment it will be.
It was the ITV star’s beloved late dad Christopher who set him on the road to fame aged 11.
Stephen’s father Christopher (pictured with mum Maureen) gave him his love of magic[/caption]
The Petticoat Lane market trader would spend his evenings gathering Stephen, his two brothers and sister together round the kitchen table to show off his latest sleight of hand.
So the older man’s death last November — before Stephen’s book was properly finished — hit the 48-year-old star hard.
Not only was he battling his grief, he was also rushed to hospital after collapsing during a meal out.
But just weeks after losing his father, he appeared on the Royal Variety Show at the Royal Albert Hall, performing to an audience that included King Charles and, later, millions of TV viewers.
Despite his pain, he was the ultimate showman.
Stephen’s set included restoring a torn-up newspaper to perfect condition and roping show host Alan Carr into assisting him on stage.
Once his tricks were over, Stephen emotionally dedicated the performance to his father, saying: “That was for you, Dad.”
Stephen told The Sun: “Magic was my dad’s hobby — and he was great at it.
“Rather than a bedtime story, he would do a magic trick. He’d make a handkerchief vanish and appear under the pillow.
“I adored it, and him, and it set me on the road to where I am today.
“When he started teaching me, I could bring it to school and kids that wouldn’t normally hang about with me would be like, ‘Got a new trick?’.”
Stephen added of his dad’s pride in him writing the book: “He was fully behind me, but I’m absolutely gutted he won’t get to see it.
“He taught me a ‘banana’ trick [chopping the fruit into circles without peeling it], which is the first trick I introduce to the readers.
“That was a really special moment in the book — because when I saw him do it, I genuinely couldn’t work it out.”
Stephen revealed that becoming a master of illusion helped him beat the anxieties which affect many children.
He said: “It’s tough being a kid today — the power of social media is terrifying.
“Magic can give you confidence, but it also gives you something that other kids can’t necessarily do.
“It still helps me. I reckon people think that just because you’re on the television, you’re this wildly confident person.
“There are situations where I’m at meetings and it’s honestly nerve-racking.
“You start thinking, ‘Oh, they’re more intelligent than me, they’re better at what they do’. I still worry.
“But with a pack of cards I can hold my own.”
Recalling his own childhood experiences, Stephen went on: “As a kid, if you can learn the art of magic, it can help you with so many other areas.
MAGIC SUSPENSION
“I wasn’t necessarily very good at school.
“I loved music and playing the piano. But that was the only thing I was interested in.
“So much so, and I’m not proud of it, but when I was 16, I didn’t bother picking up my GCSE results because I knew I wanted to be a magician.
“And I went straight into it.
“I worked for Hamleys and Harrods as their resident magician when I was 16.
“That was thanks to getting a magic set when I was 11 and my dad teaching me.”
It is more than twenty years since Stephen was suspended from the Magic Circle for revealing how a trick was done on live arts and crafts TV show Finger Tips.
Stephen’s performance at the Royal Variety Show came just weeks after he lost his father[/caption]
Soon after members of the secretive clan saw his “Head Twister” trick reveal, he received a letter banning him for six months.
He never rejoined — so new book Unbelievable! The Secrets Of Magic Revealed By Stephen Mulhern won’t see him facing down wicked wizards any time soon.
Since appearing as a fresh-faced kids’ presenter, Stephen’ has been on more than 50 shows and had a long-running Butlin’s residency.
He is filming the new series of Deal Or No Deal, and has also presented Dancing On Ice, In For A Penny, Catchphrase, Britain’s Got More Talent and Big Star’s Little Star, among others.
Stephen — whose breakthrough came when he appeared in Noughties Saturday morning kids’ TV hit Ministry Of Mayhem alongside Holly Willoughby — has also frequently worked with Ant and Dec.
His next adventure sees him pairing up with the Geordie duo for another milestone he is “gutted” his dad will miss — a TV special, The Accidental Tourist, which was filmed shortly after his father died.
The programme is designed to push him out of his comfort zone by getting him to face a string of challenges, especially eating foods that he wouldn’t normally touch because his diet is pretty basic.
“It was [TV host] Emma Willis who nicknamed me ‘50 Shades of Beige’ because I only eat very plain food,” he said.
There was a lot of emotion and tears and, although it was nice to do something different, it really was like the world’s worst bucket list
Stpehen Mulhern
“I went to the Amazon once for a kids’ TV show. It was the worst experience of my life.
“I’m not very worldly, I’m not very well travelled, and it was just a huge culture shock.
“Korea was the same. It was all about getting me out of my comfort zone, not all about the food, but some of the stuff they eat, it was incredible.
“I think I lost about half a stone.
“My dad had just passed away and they film absolutely everything.
“There was a lot of emotion and tears and, although it was nice to do something different, it really was like the world’s worst bucket list.
“I’m just gutted Dad never got to see it.”
Stephen’s new book shows 30 simple tricks and how they are done.
Although it is rare to reveal how magic works, it is not unheard of.
In fact, Stephen’s magician idol, Paul Daniels, was exposing scam tricks in his Bunco Booth on TV in the Eighties. “He was brilliant,”
BIG ILLUSIONS
Stephen said. “I went to his house once and there were real white rabbits running about.
“He could do the big illusions, he could do the small.
“Even on [kids’ TV show] Wizbit he’d show you a tiny little trick you could learn at home or make and do.”
But he added: “Sometimes with magic, the secret is the worst part of it.
“Because when you find out how it’s done, it can be disappointing.”
In his book, Stephen features a trick Paul showed him using playing cards.
Stephen hugs his younger self in an Instagram post[/caption]
He said: “I wanted to make sure the tricks we’re revealing use things you can find around the house, like plastic bands and pins, and a lot of them take ten minutes to master.
“The banana one my dad taught me — that’s really easy.
“If there are dads out there that get the book, then learn the tricks for their kids — it’s like a super-power.
“I believe if a book like Unbelievable isn’t out there to start the new breed of magician flourishing, it’s going to be hard to carry on.
“Where’s the next famous magician going to come from?
“Or the next winner of Britain’s Got Talent? Harry [Moulding] won predominantly with card tricks.
“I believe if a kid picks up this book and tries out one of the tricks on their friends, the reaction they get will inspire them to go, ‘I want to do a bit more of this’.”
- Unbelievable! The Secrets Of Magic Revealed, by Stephen Mulhern is out today, published by Piccadilly Press.
Unbelievable! The Secrets Of Magic Revealed, by Stephen Mulhern is out now, published by Piccadilly Press.[/caption]
