A former Colchester Hospital worker turned magician is set to dazzle audiences with his "proper magic".
Danny Lee Grew, once a clinical support officer for the NHS, will bring his show to Colchester as part of his 200-show tour.
The Clacton resident, who used to assist in minor surgeries and care for patients, practised his magic skills on colleagues and patients before deciding to pursue magic as a full-time career.
He has since made a name for himself, with appearances on television, in pantomime, and at various festivals worldwide.
He has also performed for celebrities such as David Beckham, James Corden, and Stormzy.
Now, he is taking his 24K Magic show on the road, ready to amaze live audiences across the UK.
Mr Grew said: "It is one of those rare art forms where it is better when it is live.
"When you see it for yourself in the flesh and there is no way it can be a trick, it catches people off guard."
One of his standout illusions involves taking a flower petal, bouncing it on a tennis racket as it grows and transforms into an egg, which he then breaks into a glass.
He said: "My work is very visual magic.
"The type of thing if people saw it on the telly, they would put it down to camera tricks."
Mr Grew also enjoys bringing a classic Tommy Cooper trick to today's audiences, making glass bottles appear in what seems to be a trick gone wrong.
This journey into magic began at the age of 10 when Mr Grew joined the Young Magicians Club where he received monthly training from magicians to perfect his craft.
Having found a passion for magic as a child, he said: "Magic was a phase for me as a child that I simply never grew out of.
"My school careers advisor subtly suggested I come up with a backup plan.
"I remember telling them I wanted to be a magician and they didn’t know where to go with that."
Danny Lee Grew will be performing at the Colchester Fringe Festival on November 2 and November 3 with tickets available via colchester.ssboxoffice.com.
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