Legendary magician Wayne Dobson dead aged 68
Magician Wayne Dobson, renowned for his razor-sharp wit and spectacular illusions, has passed away at the age of 68.
His sibling broke the devastating news today, bringing to a close an extraordinary career that kicked off when Dobson became a member of the Leicester Magic Circle aged just 16 - making him the youngest person ever to achieve this feat. This early achievement signalled the start of a lifelong profession that would mesmerise audiences throughout the UK and further afield.
Wayne's brother Phil Dobson shared the tragic announcement in an emotional statement. Phil penned: "It's with a broken heart that I share the news that my brother Wayne Dobson sadly passed away today. He was my best friend and I miss him already. RIP legend."
His major breakthrough arrived after triumphing in the close-up competition at the International Brotherhood of Magicians British Ring Convention.
This victory unlocked numerous opportunities, including a spot on the beloved children's show Blue Peter, which showcased his abilities to a wider viewership. Subsequently, Dobson's career flourished, establishing him as famous not just for his remarkable tricks but equally for his razor-sharp comedic timing, reports the Mirror.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Dobson's profession soared to unprecedented levels as he embarked on tours across America supporting crooner Engelbert Humperdinck, and in 1989, he graced the stage at the esteemed Royal Variety Show. His performance was unforgettable, supported by heavyweight boxer Frank Bruno and sports commentator Harry Carpenter.
He also presented his own television programme, Wayne Dobson, A Kind of Magic, establishing himself as a recognisable figure in British entertainment.
In 1988, Dobson received a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS), a condition that could have brought many careers to a halt, yet he refused to allow the illness to control his life.
Rather than being defeated, Dobson took on the role of ambassador for the Multiple Sclerosis Resource Centre, committing himself to increasing awareness and providing support. He carried on creating and performing magic, modifying his performances when necessary, and even made a return to live shows as recently as 2022 with a performance at Haslemere Hall in Surrey.
Marvin Berglas, President of The Magic Circle, offered his condolences regarding Dobson's influence on the magic world.
He said: "The magic fraternity worldwide, and our society in particular, mourn the loss of Wayne Dobson, one of the great magicians of the late 20th century.
"Wayne, our honorary vice-president, wowed millions with his TV shows in the 80s and 90s and his unforgettable appearance on the Royal Variety Show with Frank Bruno and Harry Carpenter brought the house down.
"He did not allow the onset of MS to stop his ever inquisitive mind devising, creating, and inventing tricks to the end. We will miss him."
Heartfelt tributes from those who knew Dobson personally highlighted the profound sense of loss experienced throughout the magic community. Business partner Mike Sullivan penned: "It is with a broken heart that my buddy, business partner, and mentor Wayne Dobson passed away peacefully today."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Spectator
2 hours ago
- Spectator
Captain Britain was an embarrassing superhero
The news that the latest Superman picture has been an enormous hit in the United States, but has been received rather more tepidly here, has been taken in many quarters to mean that there is an anti-American mood at large. Maybe this is dictated by America's choice of president and administration, which means other countries are no longer as enamoured of that quintessentially all-American superhero. Alternatively, it could of course mean, as this magazine's critic Deborah Ross has suggested, that the film simply isn't very good and that we should all stick to the 1978 Christopher Reeve picture instead. Whatever the reason, the USA is Superhero Central, and no other English-speaking country has ever had much luck creating its own comic book superstars – perhaps because we don't have the same traditions of uplift and go-getting optimism that they do in America. There does, however, remain one little-heralded exception to this, and that is none other than Marvel's character Captain Britain. Captain Britain was introduced in 1976 as part of the company's attempt to branch out into the British market via their operation Marvel UK. Looked at today, the character seems somewhat misguided, to say the least. He was created by the Anglo-American writer Chris Claremont and Incredible Hulk artist Herb Trippe, and his non-heroic alter ego was Brian Braddock – a Fettes-educated aristocratic layabout who is recruited by Merlin and his daughter Roma to save Britain (or Avalon, as it is quaintly known) from the evil ministrations of Morgana Le Fay. Throw in the Captain Britain Corps, Braddock's twin sister Betsy (who eventually took on the mantle of Captain Britain), and you have something that baffled comic book readers when it was launched. It never recovered, and swiftly spluttered to an end after 39 issues. Marvel have not been known for their willingness to abandon characters, however, and Captain Britain was occasionally resurrected over the following years, with some big names involved in the process. Watchmen and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen supremo Alan Moore briefly came up with some storylines in the early 1980s – only to depart when his invoices weren't paid, a decidedly un-heroic end to his time with the company – and none other than Pet Shop Boy Neil Tennant served as the character's original editor when he worked at Marvel between 1975 and 1977. He helped to anglicise dialogue and attempted to point out where characters needed to have additional clothing drawn onto them, for reasons of decency. Although Tennant had suggested the idea of a British hero, his initial concept had been closer to an indomitable second world war fighter (somewhat like Captain America) than the rather strange concept of a man who dons a Union Jack leotard, likes to hang around the lions at Trafalgar Square, and has an oddly flirtatious relationship with his twin sister. As Tennant remarked to the New Statesman last year, the character was doomed. 'It wasn't my idea – and it was a mistake. I called up New York and said, now, it's 1976 and the National Front are huge. You've got the Stars and Stripes: the United States is a very diverse country, and there's an ideology behind your flag. Ours, there isn't. What it means to a lot of people is 'Nazi'.' Perhaps he's right. Squeamishness about the flag is a peculiarity of the British bourgeoisie. Urban middle-class parents simply weren't – and still aren't – interested in soft nationalism. Tennant and his fellow Pet Shop Boy Chris Lowe later jokingly alluded to the character in their 2009 song 'Building a Wall', which features Lowe sarcastically joshing 'Who do you think you are, Captain Britain?' A decade and a half later, it remains clear that, while British actors such as Andrew Garfield, Christian Bale and the previous Superman Henry Cavill might excel at playing superheroes on screen, there is something embarrassing, even tawdry, about the idea of anyone seeking to create a Captain Britain. The reason why American superheroes succeed is that they can unblushingly – and unironically – cite truth, justice and the American way as their motivation. The British equivalent would probably blush and say something self-deprecating about wanting to make a difference when it counted, which is not quite the stuff of super-heroism. Personally, what I'd like to see if ever there had to be a very English comic-book character is a tea-drinking type who, when he or she isn't fixing potholes and trying to calm traffic round the North Circular, is taking part in neighbourhood disputes and preventing Tube fare dodgers from bursting through the barriers. I'm not quite sure, though, whether the world is ready for Jenrick-Man – or whatever this character would end up being called. Still, at least they couldn't be any more of an embarrassment than the ignoble, failed Captain Britain.
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Kate Beckinsale's heartbreak as beloved mum Judy Loe dies after stage 4 cancer battle
Kate Beckinsale has announced the death of her mother, Judy Loe, who died on July 15 at the age of 78 after being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in July last year British actress Kate Beckinsale has announced the sad passing of her mother, Judy Loe, following a year-long cancer battle. The star of Serendipity shared a heart-wrenching tribute on Instagram on Thursday, July 17 and confirmed her mum died on July 15 at the age of 78. Just a year ago, in July 2024, her mum was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Kate, whose father died when she was just a child, had an incredibly close relationship with her mother. The 51 year old actress posted a series of photos of her dearly loved mother, also an actress, along with a lengthy caption, just days after sharing a video of herself singing to her mother in hospital. Judy was known for her role as Dr. Helen Sanders in the final two series of the drama General Hospital, Princess May in the ATV drama series Edward the Seventh, and had several guest starring roles throughout her television career, reports the Mirror US. The sad post reads: "I don't want to post this. I am only posting this because I have had to register my mother's death certificate, and it will soon become public died the night of July 15th in my arms after immeasurable suffering. I have not picked all the best photos, nor the best videos, because I cannot bear to go through my camera roll yet. "I deeply apologise to any of her friends who are finding out this way or through the press, but I cannot go through her phone. I am paralysed. Jude was the compass of my life, the love of my life, and my dearest friend. This tiny woman's vastness and huge heart have touched so many people who love her dearly. She has been brave in so many ways, forgiving sometimes too much and believing in the ultimate good in people. "The world is so dim without her that it is nearly impossible to I love you so much. This has been my greatest fear since finding my father dead at five, and I am here. Oh my Mama.. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I am so sorry." Back in February, the Underworld star took to social media to ask for prayers for her mother, writing, "anyone who has a spare prayer or magic or miracle or sunbeam please send it to my mama, my most extraordinary, warrior, generous, humble, loving, unique, irreplaceable Mama."
Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Daily Mail
The couple earning 6 figures from being trolled: Obese actor who dared to marry a 'beautiful' size 6 influencer says people hate seeing a 'fat man have what they can't' - but is now facing more abuse for taking Mounjaro
An obese actor who found love with a size six influencer has faced years of trolling online by viewers who believe he 'must be rich' to have married a beautiful, slim woman. With their most popular videos racking up millions of views, swathes of internet users have accused George and Sienna Keywood of being 'fake' and 'fame hungry' - and have questioned the legitimacy of their relationship. George has branded critics 'jealous' of seeing a fat man who 'has what they can't', but even after seven years together and the birth of their son, it has not silenced critics who are now branding him 'lazy' for taking Mounjaro to lose weight. The couple's love story began with Australia-born Sienna spotting the actor, 31, on television in his role as Craig in the Bafta award-winning British sitcom People Just Do Nothing. 'Back when I was living in Australia, I was watching People Just Do Nothing and I was like "That is my ideal man, he's so hot!" I ended up Googling him,' she recalled. In true modern style, Sienna, a former PT whose passion is singing, sent George a message on social media expressing her interest, to which George's initial reaction was: 'Hmmm is this a scam?' From that point, their relationship blossomed as any other. The pair met for a date and 'clicked straight away', describing their immediate attraction to one another. 'What connected us was that we were both so alike,' George recalled. 'We're both creative. We got on, and that chemistry was already there before we even met in real life.' 'It was like true love,' Sienna agreed. 'It sounds so corny but when you know, you know.' The couple fell in love in 2018 and got married in 2022. Now, they share a five-year-old son called Oliver and have moved into their dream five-bedroom home in Surrey. But still, viewers aren't convinced. George faces a whirlwind of insults online, having been called a 'beached whale' and told he is 'lazy' and 'disgusting' for his size, with viewers regularly taking stabs at predicting when he will die. 'People just can't get over the fact that I'm fat and she's skinny,' said George, who puts the public's disdain down to pure jealousy. 'They see my wife and think "Wow, she's very attractive. Why can't I have that?" 'I've dealt with it for years. They hate the fact that a fat man can have more than them, they hate the fact that I can have this and they hate the fact that she's attracted to this.' According to George, Sienna is attracted to him because he's a 'bigger' man. 'That's her attraction,' he said. 'And I'm into her because she's a slim, beautiful, lovely-looking woman.' The couple are unconventional in other ways. As part of their many lucrative projects, they share an account on OnlyFans - a subscription-based pornographic site where users can make money by uploading adult content. Starring in adult videos together, the couple charge $15 a month for a glimpse into their intimate life. George has been called a 'beached whale' and told he is 'lazy' and 'disgusting' for his size, with viewers regularly taking stabs at predicting when he will die (George after weight loss) Their activity on the site has added to the vitriol of hatred directed at the parents. But the couple feel they have profited from the negativity, with George saying: 'We afford this house and these cars because we make over six figures a year getting trolled.' George now funds his lifestyle in part through online sponsorships which see him endorse products in exchange for payment. Selling tech products and running livestreams on his account, George claims to have made as much as £30,000 a month through social media. He said: 'We've made so much more money from social media than we ever thought we would make.' Interestingly, though, the pair don't advertise their OnlyFans page on their social media channels. Although platforms such as TikTok and Instagram ban explicit promotion of OnlyFans accounts, members use 'funnels' by directing potential customers to an external link. And while Sienna's Instagram does have a link to the page, her social media image is that of a normal, loving mother with a young child. She has previously spoken online of her 'shame and embarrassment' about making money from social media, television appearances, magazine spreads and even getting her wedding paid for by a TV channel. Sienna has also previously questioned why bigger actors are never cast as romantic interests in love stories, while George joked he 'just wants to do a sex scene.' The couple seem comfortable in their chosen career path, but since the start of their relationship, George has rapidly gained weight. He reached a point where he had to pay for taxis everywhere due to his inability to walk long distances. When the father became pre-diabetic and was struggling to walk upstairs, he began taking the weight loss drug Mounjaro. Before turning to the jab, he was drinking up to five cans of Coca-Cola a day and often eating a full pizza and garlic bread in the evenings. In August, 2024, he started taking the medication from a private online pharmacy that offered it to him for free, and he has since lost up to two pounds a week. Now, six stone down, George's sugar cravings have gone and he only eats one main daily meal, often skipping breakfast entirely. George started taking weight loss jabs when he reached a point where he had to pay for taxis everywhere due to his inability to walk long distances (after weight loss) He said his food shop has seen 'less overspending on junk food' thanks to his lack of appetite and he no longer splashes out as much on taxis. But the content creator has received negativity online from critics who say he is 'cheating' by taking the medication. George and Sienna respond to hate comments in their typical, sarcastic way. Posing for a video, George claps back at critics who insist they 'can't see' any weight loss despite his claims. 'No weight loss? Are you insane?' George roars, before Sienna chimes in: 'He's wasting away at this point.' In another TikTok, George points to his still large belly and jokes: 'There's a six pack there - look at that.' The pair maintain that they choose willingly to 'embarrass themselves' online because it gives them the financial freedom to work non-conventional jobs and spend more time together. Sienna wrote: 'Yes, we may embarrass ourselves on the internet for a living, but it means we get to spend every school holiday with our son, send him to the best school and have the freedom to work when we choose to.' Their content's resounding message is that they love each other despite the backlash they get, and will remain committed to one another regardless of their appearance. Sienna said: 'The hate doesn't get to us. We love each other and nothing anyone says will change that. 'Our aim is to encourage people to accept themselves for who they are. Thank you to everyone who supports us and sends positive messages our way.'
