by Dynamo
Gramps, I love you and always will. Thank you for showing me there is magic in the world. Now that I’ve found it, I’ll keep hold of it, always, and make sure that our magic lives on.
To everyone who has believed in this impossible dream of mine. I couldn’t have done it without you.
Aged one and a half and excited about my christening.
I’ve always been a sharp dresser. Aged four.
Gramps and me hanging out in America.
Patrolling the mean beaches of Virginia.
Proud big brother. Me, Troy and Lee.
All together. Jess, me, Lee and baby Troy smiling (sort of) for the camera.
At home in Bradford with Troy, Gramps and Nan.
Old passport pics. Don’t laugh!
Mum and me with Bear Gass.
I made my name by working the clubs and party circuits.
Turning lottery tickets into cash for Prince Charles and Kevin Spacey at Clarence House.
Wrapped up warm whilst filming my DVD Underground Magic.
The legendary Paul Daniels. I want to do for my generation what he did for his.
Performing for Holly Valance and friends.
Me and Ian Brown checking out his latest kicks.
On tour with the Kings of Leon.
Hanging with Snoop.
Rihanna in shock!
At Cipriani’s restaurant with Sam and Richard Branson.
Chewie and me.
Will Smith and his beautiful family loved my magic.
Tinie Tempah and me backstage.
Tinchy Stryder – the Star in the Hood – and me at the MTV Staying Alive Foundation party.
Pool party in LA. Keeping the crowds entertained.
Sharing that magic feeling with another spectator.
I’ll never tire of the spectator’s reaction.
At an F1 party with Christian Horner and Bernie Ecclestone.
The best magic duo to ever exist – Penn & Teller.
One day this will all be mine!
Filming for BBC’s Inside the Human Body on the Southbank.
Filming in Austria.
Taking a magic power nap.
Smile for the camera!
Finally finished filming!
Exploring the Chapéu Mangueira favela in Rio.
On the road again.
Me and Dan at Snowbombing.
Signing promo posters for Dynamo: Magician Impossible.
I seem to spend more time in the air than I do on the ground these days.
Performing a suspension on a park bench in Rio.
Not everything I do is for the faint-hearted.
Flying over the crowd to make my way out of a club.
Hands on fire. Don’t try this at home!
Standing in the middle of the River Thames.
In Rio with the favela kids.
Matt Lucas looking terrified as I levitate him.
Levitating myself at Christ the Redeemer.
Another phone, another bottle.
Phillip Schofield trying his hardest to lift me after I’d taken his strength away.
PICTURE CREDITS
The page references below refer to the print edition.
PAGES:
Alex Lake: ii, 6, 97, 124, 139, 149, 216, 244–245, 282–283, 305, 308
BBC Photo Library: 198–199
Dynamo: Magician Impossible. Exclusive to Watch from UKTV: 54, 248
Getty Images: 5 (Barcroft Media), 18–19, 28 (Superman – Gamma Keystone), 44, 47 (Cards – Christian Adams), 31 (Werner Schnell) 71, 72, 78 (Mike Jack), 80, 83 (Steven Puetzer), 90–91, 94 (Michael Ochs Archive), 101, 122–123 (FilmMagic), 134, 213, 226 (Westend61), 229 (Burke/Triolo Productions) 240 (AFP), 280
Contour by Getty Images (Neale Haynes): 29, 36–37, 45, 47, 52–53, 64, 115, 185, 186
Rex Features: 138 (Tim Rooke), 143 (Richard Young), 146 (Startraks Photo), 155 (Coalition Pictures Ltd), 167 (Ken McKay), 217 (Brian Rasic), 280 (Scott Aiken), 293 (East News)
PICTURE SECTION:
Section one: p7 (Top right) Michael Bowles/Rex Features. (Bottom right) Getty Images
Section two: p1 Getty Images; p2 (Top left) Richard Young/Rex Features; p4 Getty Images; p5 Getty Images for MTV; p6 (Top) The Sun (Bottom) Michael Bowles/Rex Features; p7 (Top) Michael Bowles/Rex Features (Bottom) Richard Young
Section three: p3 (Bottom right) Press Association; p8 Alex Lake
Section four: p1 Jonathan Hordie/Rex Features; p2 (Bottom) Dynamo: Magician Impossible. Exclusive to Watch from UKTV; p3 (Top and Bottom) Dynamo: Magician Impossible. Exclusive to Watch from UKTV; pp4–5: Rex Features; p6 (Bottom) Andrew Timms www.andrewtimms.co.uk; p7 (Top and Bottom) Dynamo: Magician Impossible. Exclusive to Watch from UKTV; p8 Ken McKay/Rex Features
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