TV magician Wayne Dobson dies, aged 68
The Leicester-born entertainer became a well-known face through appearances on British television variety shows in the late 1980s before landing his own ITV series, which ran from 1991 to 1993.
He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 31 but continued to perform live until 2003.
A representative said he died on Monday following "several months of debilitating illness".
Dobson's wisecracking style of magic saw him rise to prominence through the 1980s.
He was hired as a support act for Engelbert Humperdinck's Las Vegas residency in 1988, before receiving his multiple sclerosis diagnosis a short time later.
Despite this setback, a well-received appearance at the The Royal Variety Performance in 1989 saw him given a regular spot on Joe Longthorne's TV show before ITV commissioned his series Wayne Dobson - A Kind of Magic.
Featuring Linda Lusardi as his regular assistant, the show ran until 1993.
While his multiple sclerosis symptoms continued to worsen in the years that followed, Dobson continued to tour.
At one point he became part of Joe Pasquale's live show.
When he became unable to perform live any longer, he started a business selling his routines, illusions and creations to magicians around the world.
He continued to make regular appearances at conventions until two years ago.
In the 2010s he became a supporter of the MS Society.
In a statement, the charity said: "Diagnosed with MS in 1988, Wayne was a passionate supporter of MS research and used his magic to inspire others.
"He once said he wished he could make MS disappear. We won't stop until that's a reality."
Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.
MS Society
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
MAGA versus ‘Truth, justice and the American way'
I've been a fan of Superman for a long time, so I have been eagerly awaiting his newest movie incarnation. And I must say, it is strange to see this iconic American hero targeted by people who call themselves patriots. There's a lot to like about Superman. He fights fascism and bigotry. He uses his power to defend the powerless. He is humble and kind. He loves his family, dog and adopted country. He promotes 'truth, justice and the American way.' It is a sign of how twisted our political culture has become that Fox News pundits were already ranting angrily about the latest Superman even before the movie came out. Here's what apparently set them off: Director James Gunn said in an interview, 'Superman is the story of America. An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country. But for me it's mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost.' That's all it took. In these days when MAGA leaders are fanning anti-immigration sentiment and pundits sneer at kindness and empathy as weakness, the description of Superman's story as an American immigrant story was enough for MAGA to declare the movie 'superwoke.' One of the more ridiculous comments came from Fox host Jesse Watters, who said, 'You know what is says on his cape? MS-13.' Seriously, he said that. Watters's toxic idiocy reflected the way President Trump's anti-immigrant enforcers fanned fears about gang violence to convince Americans to accept the unacceptable: smearing people as MS-13 members on little or no evidence beyond bogus claims about tattoos and sending those men to a foreign concentration camp where they may spend the rest of their lives without the chance to prove their innocence. Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress have responded to the lawlessness and brutality of the Trump-era Immigrations and Customs Enforcement by showering ICE with tens of billions of dollars to hire 10,000 new enforcement officers and create our own domestic concentration camps. Rewarding bad behavior this way will only embolden the worst impulses of the people running ICE operations. It is the opposite of accountability. The creation and expansion of a massive, violent, unaccountable secret police force responding to the whims of our authoritarian president and the anti-immigrant obsessions of his henchman Stephen Miller is frightening. It's especially frightening in the context of last week's transformation of Elon Musk's artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok. Responding to right-wing complaints that Grok was too 'woke,' Musk and his team adjusted its algorithms. Trained on the stream of sewage that flows through 4chan and Musk's X platform, Grok became a virtual neo-Nazi, spewing antisemitism and expressing admiration for Adolf Hitler. X has since removed some of those posts, but the episode made it clear just how quickly a powerful social media platform could be weaponized to demonize groups of people even more aggressively than bots and online extremists already do. It made me think of the way radio hosts in Rwanda urged ethnic Hutus to commit genocide against their Tutsi neighbors after first demonizing them with propaganda. There is a dangerously gleeful cruelty to the way politicians like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem celebrate ICE's warrantless abductions to foreign prison camps and their repellently merry marketing of the inhumane concentration camp in the Florida Everglades as 'Alligator Alcatraz.' The president's pal Laura Loomer posted on X, 'The good news is, alligators are guaranteed at least 65 million meals if we start now,' which the New York Times observed was 'an apparent reference to the entire Hispanic population of the United States.' Even if you dismiss Loomer's comments as attention-seeking clickbait, they're a sad indicator of what's acceptable and even welcome in MAGA culture. That brings me back to Superman and a reminder that American political culture hasn't always been this way and doesn't have to stay this way. When Norman Lear and his colleagues chose People For the American Way as the name of the group I now lead, they were aligning themselves with a set of aspirational values deeply rooted in American ideals. I've often used 'truth, justice, and the American way' as a shorthand description of our work. Christopher Reeve, the actor whose iconic portrayal of Superman kicked off the era of modern superhero movies, was a friend of People For the American Way and other groups working to advance those ideals. I believe the bigotry and cruelty wallowed in by so many MAGA leaders is turning off millions of Americans who know in their gut that it's wrong and it's un-American. Artists and entertainers, like political leaders, can inspire us to do better. Godspeed, Superman. Svante Myrick is president of People For the American Way.
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Prince Harry and King Charles Peace Hopes Rocked by Photo Leak
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Prince Harry's PR team met King Charles III's press secretary at a discreet London private members club in a glimmer of hope for reconciliation—but the trio were photographed by the tabloids. The low key summit at the Royal Over-Seas League (ROSL) came after Harry and Meghan's California-based chief communications officer Meredith Maines flew into London. She joined up with Liam Maguire, the Sussexes' U.K. based PR man, for the sit-down meeting with Tobyn Andreae, Charles' director of communications. However, a photographer for U.K. tabloid the Mail on Sunday captured images of the three royal aides sitting down for a casual drink at the ROSL, a short distance from Clarence House, Charles' London residence. Left, Prince Harry is seen in Santa Barbara, California, on March 8, 2025, and, right, King Charles III is seen during a reception at Campbeltown Town Hall, in Scotland, on July 3, 2025. Left, Prince Harry is seen in Santa Barbara, California, on March 8, 2025, and, right, King Charles III is seen during a reception at Campbeltown Town Hall, in Scotland, on July 3, Jane Barlow -Why It Matters Prince Harry has for years accused Buckingham Palace of leaking stories about him and his family so the appearance of images of three people in the papers, none of whom has a significant public profile, sparked immediate fears the embryonic peace talks could disintegrate. Not least of all, the Mail on Sunday is Harry and Meghan's least favorite British tabloid, the pair having sued it four times between them. What to Know Newsweek has been told both sides remain optimistic that a new era of greater cooperation is still on the cards. A Sussex source said the leak "was not from our side" and added that the saga had left them frustrated. They suggested there was frustration in both camps at the meeting having been made public, but, crucially they did not believe this would sink attempts to usher in a more cooperative relationship. Prince Harry's Relationship With King Charles Prince Harry signaled his desire to heal his relationship with King Charles during an interview with the BBC in May 2025. "There's no point in continuing to fight anymore," Harry said. "Life is precious. I don't know how much longer my father has. He won't speak to me because of this security stuff. But it would be nice to reconcile." The "security stuff" in question was the prince's lawsuit against the British government over the decision to strip him of his police protection team. Harry had just lost that court case at the time of the interview. It was a blow for him but the conclusion of the litigation also potentially opened up a new chance for royal peace. That was, however, complicated by the fact Harry took a swipe at his father during the same interview, suggesting the king was an obstacle to him getting his police bodyguards back: "I never asked him to intervene—I asked him to step out of the way and let the experts do their jobs." That interpretation was at odds with the government's stance in the lawsuit, that the decision fell to a senior figure within the Home Office, as well as the palace's long-standing position that the Royal Household does not decide who gets police protection. Needless to say, the latest meeting will be received as a positive sign that all is not lost, and a fragile peace is still being nurtured on both sides. There is likely, though, a long way still to go. Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page. Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@ We'd love to hear from you.
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
‘Supernanny' Jo Frost announces ‘life-threatening' medical diagnosis
'Supernanny' star Jo Frost is battling a 'life-threatening' medical condition. The 55-year-old TV personality announced over the weekend she's been diagnosed with anaphylaxis. 'I've survived more anaphylactic shocks than I'm prepared to go into detail about right now,' Frost told fans in an Instagram video. Advertisement 6 Jo Frost in her Instagram video. jofrost/Instagram 'I have anaphylaxis, a life-threatening medical condition to certain foods that will compromise my body so horrifically to the point of hospitalization,' Frost explained. Anaphylaxis, according to the Mayo Clinic, is 'a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction' that 'can occur within seconds or minutes of exposure to something you're allergic to.' Advertisement 6 Jo Frost during the Lifetime segment of the 2020 Winter TCA Tour. Getty Images Frost continued: 'Absolute millions of my community around the world, children and adults, live cautiously and anxiously navigating this journey with not nearly enough compassion, education and empathy from those who do not.' 'Today, everyone will know someone or someone who knows of one with anaphylaxis,' she went on. 'If you ignore the severity of this medical condition, it's as bad as shoving a loaded gun in my face.' 6 Jo Frost attends The Hollywood Reporter's Annual Women in Entertainment Breakfast Gala in 2019. Getty Images Advertisement The British reality star stated that she's 'unapologetic' for her medical condition, adding, 'I did not ask for it, and it does not define who I am and the impact that I make in the world daily.' 6 Jo Frost celebrates the launch of her book 'Bath Book Bed.' Getty Images 'But it does impact how I live my life daily, like the precautions I take, the energy I have to use to discern with hypervigilance,' Frost explained. 6 Jo Frost poses for the launch of her book in London in 2016. Getty Images Advertisement 'By the way, I speak on behalf of those who also have celiac disease, too, because we are all not faddy eaters,' she continued. 'I'm not looking to be treated special, I'm looking to be treated with the same dignity and attentiveness as you just showed others.' 6 Dan Peirson and Jo Frost at the 2020 Winter TCA Tour. Getty Images Frost also declared that she doesn't want 'mumbling insults' or 'passive-aggressive' from people who are unfamiliar with her condition. More to come…
