rom the age of 11, Stephen Mulhern has been learning and performing magic tricks. His dad would teach him, but he quickly surpassed his fatherâs magical abilities.
From Butlinâs to Blue Peter, followed by Finger Tips, The Big Big Talent Show, the Royal Variety Performance in 1997, and of course the plethora of radio and TV shows we now know him for, he has enjoyed a marvellous career, with many more ups than downs. The end of Dancing On Ice represented nothing more than a professional hiccup, one expert told us.
But it likely comes as a frustration, and may have given him pause for thought. How does Stephen â hosting Deal or No Deal this week â feel about the future of his career in TV? Is he conscious of the stiff competition within the industry?
Stephen Mulhern articulates fears for TV future, says thereâs always someone to take his place
His background, or rather his late dadâs background, was in market trading. Not the fancy stuff in the City of London: he was a flycatcher on Petticoat Lane.
If that doesnât paint a particularly vivid picture, Stephen likened his dad â who died in 2024 â to the character of Del Boy in Only Fools and Horses.
He and his brothers would look out for the police while their dad would flog slice-and-dice vegetable choppers and novelty toys to the good people of East London.
It taught him a lesson about grafting. He only buys what he can afford, and he appreciates that if he stops doing what heâs doing, someone else will take his place. To that end, he reins it in on a Friday night.
âLondon is an exciting city, but Iâm not one for going out on the razzle,â he told The Times in May 2024. âMy ideal Friday night is cheese on toast and a bit of telly. I start with old episodes of Judge Judy. Iâm in bed by 10.30pm, listening to vintage Steve Penk wind-ups on my headphones.
âDoes it sound boring? I prefer to see it as making sure I do a good job. Thatâs how I was brought up. If Dad wasnât at the top of his game on the market, he didnât sell anything and the bills didnât get paid. If Iâm not at the top of my game, thereâs a thousand people out there ready to take my place.â
Stephenâs work diary for 2025
Following ITVâs decision to axe Dancing On Ice, Stephen Mulhernâs professional calendar might have looked a little sparse.
Not so. He still has Deal or No Deal, which he has presented since 2023. Celebrity Catchphrase is also ongoing.
He also launched a brand-new ITV travel show called Accidental Tourist last year, which will be back for series 2.
So, no rest for the wicked. Stephen is a long way away from hanging up his card deck. The legions lining up to âtake his placeâ will just have to wait.
