Abracadabra!

STEPHEN MULHERN on hosting a magical spin-off showcase

- VICTORIA WILSON

BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT: THE ULTIMATE MAGICIAN

SUNDAY, 8PM, ITV1 ENTERTAINMENT 

Masters of mind-blowing tricks and skilled in sleight of hand, magicians often hold us spellbound on ITV1’s Britain’s Got Talent.

Now, 10 magic acts from across the worldwide Got Talent franchise will perform in a spin-off spectacular, Britain’s Got Talent: The Ultimate Magician, as they vie to win a £50,000 prize.

Helmed by Stephen Mulhern, drafted in after usual BGT hosts Ant and Dec tested positive for COVID-19, the one-off special sees Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden and David Walliams return as judges, with legendary US magician Penn Jillette – one half of duo Penn & Teller – sitting in for Simon Cowell.

Here, Stephen, 45, tells TV Times what to expect…

This show sounds fantastic – what can you reveal about it?

It’s got everything – speciality, variety, close-up trickery and big-scale illusions. All our acts are incredible and they all want to be named The Ultimate Magician. It’s going to be phenomenal.