He achieved international fame through his television series The Paul Daniels Magic Show, which ran on the BBC from 1979 to 1994.

[2][3][4][5][6] Daniels was outspoken on matters including politics, current affairs, magic, entertainment, and fellow celebrities.

[8][9] His father was a cinema projectionist at the Hippodrome Theatre[10] and a worker for ICI in Wilton, North Riding of Yorkshire.

After completing his education at Sir William Turners Grammar School on Coatham Road in Coatham, North Riding of Yorkshire and holding his first job as a junior clerk in the treasurer's office of Eston Council, Daniels served as a conscript in the 1st Battalion, Green Howards, during his national service.

[13] Daniels' interest in magic began at the age of 11 when, during a holiday, he read a book called How to Entertain at Parties.

He began performing magic as a hobby, occasionally entertaining at parties and youth clubs and later doing shows for fellow servicemen during his national service.

[14] After returning to civilian life he continued to develop his magic by performing in clubs in the evenings while working at his grocery business during the day.

He also replicated the kind of results that have impressed researchers of the paranormal and parapsychologists in a segment called Under Laboratory Conditions, thereby demonstrating his scepticism about claims made in these fields.

[16] Daniels starred in his own stage show, It's Magic, at the Prince of Wales Theatre from 10 December 1980 until 6 February 1982.

By this point he was already working with his future wife, Debbie McGee, whose role as his assistant would become a major feature of his act.

Also in 1987, Daniels hosted a controversial Halloween live special of his magic show where he replicated a Harry Houdini escape from an iron maiden.

[citation needed] Daniels and McGee were the focus of one of the episodes of the 2001 BBC documentary series When Louis Met..., presented by Louis Theroux,[18] with Daniels additionally appearing on Da Ali G Show in an Ali G costume, and was interviewed by Caroline Aherne in her guise as Mrs Merton.

[22] An Easter special of The Paul Daniels Magic Show won the Golden Rose of Montreux Award at the International TV Festival in Switzerland in 1985.

[7] In 2011, he tweeted that he did not consider the term "Paki" to be any more offensive than the word "Brit", and described those who held the opposite view of being excessively politically correct.

[31] He supported the hereditary system in the House of Lords, expressing the view that the aristocracy had "genetic knowledge" that others lacked.

[33] Daniels refused to attend magic conferences in the UK since they "...were ruined for me by bitchiness and jealousy...now I only go to foreign conventions where, to be honest, I am greeted with respect and civility AND I have tons of 'foreign' magician friends.

"[32] Daniels was also critical of journalists, stating "I don't really understand why journalism has to be so nasty, so sarcastic and intrusive".

Daniels's father often made props for the show, such as wooden boxes for the Selbit Sawing illusion, whilst his mother sewed the stage curtains for his theatre tours.

The couple met in London in May 1979 during rehearsals for Daniels's summer season show in Great Yarmouth that year.

[39][40] Daniels's autobiography, Under No Illusion, includes descriptions of his and McGee's joking life: "I was writing and needed to concentrate, so I had a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on my back.

[42][43] On 20 February 2016, Daniels had a fall and was taken to hospital, where he was treated by medical staff for suspected pernicious anemia.