Paul Daniels
Paul Daniels was the stage name of Newton Edward Daniels (6 April 1938 – 17 March 2016), an English magician and television presenter. He became famous for The Paul Daniels Magic Show on BBC1, which ran from 1979 to 1994. He was known for his friendly style and his catchphrase, “You'll like this... not a lot, but you'll like it!” and for his long-time assistant and wife, Debbie McGee.
Daniels was born in South Bank, England. He started magic as a child, began performing in clubs while working in a grocery business, and left that job in 1969 to become a full-time magician. His TV career also included shows such as Odd One Out, Every Second Counts, Wipeout, and Wizbit. He staged the London show It’s Magic from 1980 to 1982 and later toured with Debbie McGee on several tours.
He won many awards, including Magician of the Year in 1982 from the Academy of Magical Arts (the first non-American to win) and the Golden Rose of Montreux in 1985. He was a member of the Inner Magic Circle with Gold Star and was often called “The Godfather of Magic” for inspiring many magicians.
Daniels married his first wife, Jacqueline Skipworth, in 1960; they had three sons: Gary, Paul, and Martin. He met Debbie McGee in 1979 and married her in 1988.
In 2012, Daniels lost part of his left index finger in a circular-saw accident, but the finger was reattached. In February 2016 he was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumor and died at his home in Wargrave on 17 March 2016, aged 77. He is survived by Debbie McGee and his three sons.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 14:48 (CET).