When Stephen Mulhern’s brand-new magic book hits shelves today, it marks a bittersweet moment — one filled with pride, grief, and memories of the man who started it all: his late father, Christopher Mulhern.
It was Christopher, a humble Petticoat Lane market trader, who first sparked Stephen’s love for magic at just 11 years old, gathering his children around the kitchen table to perform sleight-of-hand tricks.
“Rather than a bedtime story, he’d do a magic trick,” Stephen recalled. “He’d make a handkerchief disappear and reappear under the pillow. I adored it — and him.”
But tragedy struck last November when Christopher passed away, just before Stephen completed the book. The loss hit the 48-year-old entertainer harder than anyone could have imagined.
“That Was For You, Dad”
Grieving but determined, Stephen pushed through heartbreak to perform at the Royal Variety Show at the Royal Albert Hall — just weeks after his father’s death.
In front of King Charles and millions of TV viewers, the In for a Penny host delivered a powerful performance, restoring a torn newspaper to perfection and dedicating it to his father:
“That was for you, Dad.”
Behind the smile, however, Stephen was silently struggling — even collapsing during a meal out just weeks after his father’s passing.
“He was fully behind me,” Stephen said tearfully. “I’m gutted he won’t get to see it.”
The Trick That Started It All
One of the first illusions his dad ever taught him — the “banana trick”, slicing the fruit into perfect circles without peeling it — now opens his new book, Unbelievable! The Secrets of Magic Revealed.
“When I first saw him do it, I genuinely couldn’t work it out,” Stephen laughed. “It blew my mind — and that’s how it all began.”
The entertainer says the lessons his father taught him went far beyond tricks and illusions.
“Magic gave me confidence,” he explained. “As a kid, it made me feel like I had something special. Even now, people think you’re confident because you’re on TV — but I still get nervous. A deck of cards still calms me down.”
From Humble Beginnings to TV Stardom
Stephen’s story began when he landed a job as a resident magician for Hamleys and Harrods at age 16 — thanks to the magic set his father gave him five years earlier.
He never even picked up his GCSE results, admitting:
“I knew exactly what I wanted to be — a magician.”
Since then, he’s starred in over 50 TV shows, including Dancing on Ice, Catchphrase, In for a Penny, and Britain’s Got More Talent, and remains one of ITV’s most beloved faces.
But few know that early in his career, Stephen was suspended from the Magic Circle after accidentally revealing how a trick worked live on TV. He was banned for six months and never rejoined.
“It didn’t stop me,” he said. “I just kept doing what I love.”
Life After Loss
Stephen’s upcoming TV special, The Accidental Tourist, filmed shortly after his father’s death, shows a more vulnerable side to the entertainer as he takes on emotional and physical challenges far outside his comfort zone.
“It was tough — a lot of emotion, a lot of tears,” he confessed. “It felt like the world’s worst bucket list. I’m gutted Dad never got to see it.”
The programme also explores Stephen’s aversion to travel and his famously plain diet — which earned him the nickname “50 Shades of Beige” from host Emma Willis.
Still, he says the journey helped him reflect on life, loss, and gratitude.
A Father’s Legacy
Christopher Mulhern’s influence lives on through every performance and every card trick Stephen performs. His book, which features 30 easy magic tricks kids can try at home, is dedicated to inspiring the next generation — just like his dad inspired him.
“If a dad reads this book and learns a trick for his kids,” Stephen said softly, “that’s like a superpower. That’s exactly what my dad did for me.”
He adds that while revealing how tricks work might disappoint some, the true magic lies in the wonder it creates:
“Sometimes the secret’s the dullest part — but the joy on someone’s face when they see it? That’s real magic.”
Stephen’s father Christopher passed away in November 2024, leaving behind a legacy of love, laughter, and magic that shaped one of Britain’s best-loved entertainers.
“He gave me my start, my confidence — and my purpose,” Stephen said. “Every time I step on stage, he’s still there.”
