Henry to front new BBC One magic show

Lenny Henry is to a new high-profile Saturday-night BBC One entertainment show based around magic.

Regulars on The Magicians will include Edinburgh Fringe stalwarts Barry and Stuart, as well as US sleight of hand artist Chris Korn and Portuguese illusionist Luis de Matos.

Over five weeks, the three acts will perform in a competition, each staging an illusion with a celebrity partner. Confirmed guests include Chris Tarrant, Rolf Harris and N-Dubz.

Henry said: ‘I've always been a fan of magic on the TV, from David Nixon to David Blaine, Penn and Teller to Paul Daniels, and the far too glamorous Debbie McGee

‘And the thing about me is that I don't want to know how it's done. You know the bloke with his jaw on the floor throughout most of the show? That will be me.’

Barry and Stuart – whose credits include Channel 4’s Dirty Tricks – said: ‘The Magicians is the biggest and most ambitious show that we have ever beenpart of. We're going to bring the viewers of BBC One some inventive, devious and jaw-dropping new magic that they will have never seen before.’

Executive producer Karen Smith – who was also the first producer of Strictly Come Dancing – said: ‘It will be magic like never seen before on TV, huge in scale and a true spectacular.’

The Magicians will air from January.

Published: 25 Nov 2010