There’s a reason the name Paul Daniels still sparks a smile in Britain decades after his peak. The magician with the black wig and the catchphrase “That’s magic!” defined family entertainment on BBC One for years.
Birth name: Newton Edward Daniels ·
Born: April 6, 1938, in South Bank, Middlesbrough ·
Died: March 17, 2016, at 77 ·
Cause of death: Glioblastoma brain tumour
Quick snapshot
- Died 17 March 2016 from glioblastoma (Brain Tumour Research charity)
- Married Debbie McGee in 1988 (The Guardian obituary)
- Exact inheritance figure — UK papers estimate around £250,000 but no verified court filing confirmed.
- Whether Daniels knew his diagnosis fully, due to the tumour’s effect on cognition.
- Birth date details from Wikipedia (tier3 source) — not independently verified by official records.
- February 2016: fall at home, then inoperable brain tumour diagnosis. Death one month later.
- Debbie McGee continues stage and radio work; no remarriage.
Six key facts at a glance:
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Born place | South Bank, Middlesbrough |
| Marriage sources | Met McGee in 1979, wed 1988 |
| Wig | Black hairpiece intentionally for show, not a secret |
| Wiki | temporary fix – aggressive nature. |
| Cause of death | Grade 4 glioblastoma brain tumour (Brain Tumour Research) |
| Net worth at death | Reported £250,000 estate (subject to inheritance tax) |
| Surviving wife | Debbie McGee, born 31 October 1958 (Wikipedia profile) |
| Career peak | BBC series The Paul Daniels Magic Show (1979–1994) |
Did Debbie McGee Remarry?
Debbie McGee’s life after Paul Daniels
- McGee has not remarried since Daniels’ death.
- She returned to BBC Radio Berkshire work after his passing (BBC News local report).
- She continues stage and TV appearances as a performer.
The implication: McGee has chosen to keep her professional and personal identity separate from the Daniels brand—she never recast herself as “the widow.” For fans wondering if she moved on romantically, the answer is clear: she remains unmarried and focused on her own performing career.
How old was Debbie McGee when she married Paul Daniels?
Wedding: Third marriage for Daniels
- Debbie McGee was born 31 October 1958 (Wikipedia profile).
- Paul Daniels was born 6 April 1938 (Wikipedia entry).
- Age difference at marriage (1988): Daniels turned 50 that April; McGee turned 30 that October—a 20-year gap.
- They met in 1979 when McGee was 20 and Daniels was 41 (The Independent profile).
Why this matters: The age gap generated tabloid chatter for years, but the couple stayed together for nearly three decades. Their meeting at a TV show—McGee was a ballet dancer with the Royal Ballet School training—turned into a lifelong partnership that outlasted the show itself.
What Was Paul Daniels’ Cause of Death?
Glioblastoma diagnosis
- Daniels was diagnosed with a grade 4 glioblastoma brain tumour in February 2016, about a month before death (Brain Tumour Research charity blog).
- The diagnosis came after he fell at home; early reporting suspected a stroke (BBC News report).
- Doctors told McGee the tumour had spread so far that he had only weeks to live (BBC News report).
- The Telegraph reported that Daniels did not know he was dying because the tumour affected his ability to process new information (The Telegraph obituary).
Where he was treated
- Daniels was treated at Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, after his fall (BBC News Berkshire report).
- He died at his Berkshire home on 17 March 2016, with McGee at his side (BBC News Berkshire report).
Britain’s most famous magician spent his final weeks unable to process the one thing he needed to understand—his own mortality. For a man who built a career on defying expectations, the brain tumour delivered a cruel irony: it stole the very awareness that he was being out-tricked.
The pattern: A sudden, devastating diagnosis turned a man who had always been in control of the stage into someone who couldn’t control his own awareness. The speed—one month from fall to death—left both the family and the public reeling.
What happened to Paul Daniels?
He died on 17 March 2016 from a grade 4 glioblastoma brain tumour, diagnosed about a month earlier (Brain Tumour Research).
How Old Was Debbie McGee When Paul Daniels Died?
Calculating the age gap
- Paul Daniels died on 17 March 2016 at age 77 (BBC News notification).
- Debbie McGee was born 31 October 1958, making her 57 years and 4 months old at his death.
- Age gap at his death: 20 years.
What this means: McGee was still a working performer in her prime when her husband died. She was 57—younger than many of her contemporaries in broadcasting. For someone who had spent 28 years as both assistant and wife, the question of “what now” was immediate and personal.
How Much Did Debbie McGee Inherit From Paul Daniels?
The condition of the will.
- UK newspaper reports estimated Daniels’ estate at roughly £250,000 after debts and funeral costs (The Guardian obituary).
- Probate records have not been widely published; the figure is drawn from reporting rather than an official filing.
- McGee was the primary beneficiary, though Daniels had three sons from his first marriage to Jacqueline Skipper.
The catch: The “£250,000” figure appears in multiple UK outlets but has not been independently verified through court documents. For a man who headlined a prime-time BBC show for 15 years and toured internationally, the sum seems modest—suggesting either significant pre-death spending or estate planning that reduced the public record.
“He died about ten minutes after the final deterioration on 17 March 2016.”
— Brain Tumour Research charity blog
“McGee continued as Daniels’ assistant until The Paul Daniels Magic Show ended in 1994.”
British fans who remember the Saturday night spectacle should know this: McGee has moved on, but not in the way tabloids assumed. She never remarried, never sold a tell-all, and never recast herself as a tragic figure. For a woman who spent three decades as a magician’s assistant, that silence is itself a performance.
Timeline
- 1938 — Born as Newton Edward Daniels in South Bank, Middlesbrough (Wikipedia entry).
- 1979 — First meets Debbie McGee at a show; she becomes his assistant (The Independent profile).
- 1988 — Marries Debbie McGee after nearly a decade together (The Guardian obituary).
- February 2016 — Falls at home; diagnosed with inoperable brain tumour—only weeks to live (BBC News report).
- 17 March 2016 — Dies at 77 in his Berkshire home with McGee beside him (BBC News Berkshire report).
Confirmed facts
- Cause of death: grade 4 glioblastoma brain tumour (Brain Tumour Research).
- Marriage date: 1988 (The Guardian obituary).
What’s unclear
- Exact inheritance figure—UK papers estimate £250,000 but no verified court filing.
- Whether Daniels understood his diagnosis fully before death.
- Birth date details from Wikipedia (tier3 source) — not independently verified by official records.
For the British public who grew up with the catchphrase “That’s magic,” the story ends not with a rabbit out of a hat but with a cruel neurological trick. For Debbie McGee, the choice is clear: continue the stage life she trained for at the Royal Ballet School, or step into the shadow of a legacy that still draws curious clicks. She chose the stage.
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Frequently asked questions
What happened to Paul Daniels?
He died on 17 March 2016 from a grade 4 glioblastoma brain tumour, diagnosed about a month earlier (Brain Tumour Research).
Has Debbie McGee been in a relationship since Paul Daniels’ death?
No, she has not remarried since Daniels’ death and continues her performing career (BBC News Berkshire).
How old was Debbie McGee at the time of her marriage to Paul Daniels?
She was 29 and he was 49 at their 1988 wedding—a 20-year age gap (Wikipedia profile).
What was the reported inheritance amount for Debbie McGee from Paul Daniels?
UK press reports estimate the estate at around £250,000, though the exact probate figure has not been publicly confirmed (The Guardian obituary).
What was Debbie McGee’s age when Paul Daniels passed away?
She was 57 years and 4 months old at his death on 17 March 2016 (Wikipedia profile).
What specific type of brain tumour caused Paul Daniels’ death?
A grade 4 glioblastoma brain tumour, diagnosed in February 2016 (Brain Tumour Research charity).
Why did Paul Daniels wear a wig?
He openly wore a black hairpiece as a stage persona choice, not as a secret—it was part of his TV magician image (The Guardian obituary).
George Harry Howard Bennett is a staff writer for Public Journal UK, specializing in UK news, policy analysis, and public affairs coverage. He works under Editor-in-Chief Margaret Ellison, maintaining high standards of sourcing, verification, and fact-checking. Bennett reports on Westminster, government policy, and societal issues, providing balanced and accurate journalism with timely insight.