Paul Daniels

Paul Daniels, who has died aged 77, was the most successful British magician and illusionist of his time; throughout the 1980s and early 1990s he was a permanent fixture on BBC television, where, aided by his assistant (and later wife), “the lovely Debbie McGee”, he would intersperse his tricks with pugnacious comedy banter. It was the BBC’s Paul Daniels

Magic Show, running from 1979 to 1994, that turned the diminutive magician into a star of light entertainment. Although the show invited guest magicians to perform their own tricks, it was dominated by Daniels and his patter, which could range from corny one-liners to cheeky put-downs.

The magic was impressive. He combined sleight-of-hand card tricks with new takes on favourite old illusions and the long-suffering Debbie McGee seemed to spend most of the 1980s confined to a box.

He maintained a tremendous rapport with audiences who delighted in his catchphrases (chiefly “you’ll like it, not a lot, but you’ll like it”) and seemed to enjoy being teased, obediently playing along with his gentle ribbing and agreeing to “say ‘Yes, Paul’”. Born April 6 1938, died March 17 2016