Steven Frayne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Steven Frayne
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Frayne on stage in 2015
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Steven Frayne
17 December 1982 Bradford, West Yorkshire, England
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| Other names | Dynamo |
| Occupation | Magician |
| Years active | 2002–present |
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Steven Frayne (born December 17, 1982), known by his stage name Dynamo, is a famous British magician. He is also a member of The Magic Circle, a special club for magicians.
His TV show, Dynamo: Magician Impossible, was very popular from 2011 to 2014. It even won awards for being the Best Entertainment Programme. Dynamo has performed his amazing magic all over the world. His "Seeing Is Believing" tour was watched by over 750,000 people in the UK, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand.
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Growing Up
Steven Frayne was born in Bradford, England. He is the oldest of four children. When he was young, Steven faced bullying at school. To help him, his grandfather taught him a special magic trick. This trick made it seem like Steven was much heavier than he really was, so other kids couldn't pick him up. This was how he first discovered his love for magic! Steven is also a big fan of the Bradford City A.F.C. football team.
How Dynamo Got His Name
Steven got the name "Dynamo" in 2001. He was performing at a special event in New York City, celebrating the famous magician Harry Houdini. Other well-known magicians like David Blaine and David Copperfield were there. Steven's magic was so impressive that someone in the crowd shouted, "This kid is an effing dynamo!" The name stuck, and he became known as Dynamo.
In 2003, Dynamo received help from the Prince's Trust, an organization that helps young people. This loan allowed him to start his own business and buy camera equipment. In 2004, he moved to London to build his magic career. He wanted to create the first-ever "magic mix-tape." He filmed his performances on the streets of London and backstage at events. Soon, he had footage with famous people like Coldplay, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Snoop Dogg. He shared these clips on YouTube, which helped him become very popular.
Dynamo's TV Shows
Dynamo first appeared on TV in 2002 on Channel 4's Richard & Judy. The TV bosses were so impressed that they made a one-hour documentary about him called Dynamo's Estate of Mind. This show followed him as he performed magic around London.
Dynamo: Magician Impossible
Dynamo: Magician Impossible was a documentary series that showed Dynamo's life and magic. It was produced by his own company, Inner Circle Films. The show was a huge success, reaching over 30 million viewers in the UK and more than 250 million viewers worldwide!
The first series had four episodes and aired in July 2011. To launch the show, Dynamo famously walked on water across the River Thames near the Houses of Parliament. This series was filmed in London, Miami, and Los Angeles. It was so popular that UKTV ordered a second and third series.
The second series started in July 2012. It also had four episodes and attracted 7.67 million viewers in the UK. This series won the award for Best Entertainment Programme at the Broadcast Awards. It was also nominated for a BAFTA award.
In 2013, Dynamo filmed the third series in New York City, Ibiza, South Africa, and London. This series was also nominated for a BAFTA award for Best Entertainment Programme.
A fourth and final series of the show aired in September 2014. In this series, Dynamo performed street magic in California, India, Paris, London, Manchester, and Bradford. For the third year in a row, Dynamo: Magician Impossible was nominated for the Best Entertainment Programme award at the BAFTA TV Awards.
Other TV Specials
- Dynamo Revealed : In December 2013, a documentary called Dynamo Revealed was shown. In it, Dynamo talked about his journey from growing up in Bradford to becoming a famous magician.
- Dynamo A–Z : In 2016, a special called Dynamo A–Z was made. Dynamo looked back at clips of his best magic tricks from Dynamo: Magician Impossible, arranged in alphabetical order.
- Dynamo Live at The O2 : This show brought Dynamo's live arena tour, "Seeing is Believing," to TV. It showed Dynamo performing his biggest live magic show ever in British history.
- Dynamo is Dead : In 2023, Dynamo performed a unique magic special. He talked with celebrities like Pete Davidson and Demi Lovato about mental well-being. As part of the show, he performed a magic trick where he appeared to be buried alive without a coffin for almost three minutes.
- Miracles : This 90-minute TV special aired in December 2024. It showed Dynamo performing street magic all around England.
Media Appearances
Dynamo has appeared on many TV shows, including Friday Night with Jonathan Ross and the MTV EMAs. He has also been in commercials for brands like Adidas, Samsung, and Pepsi. He even walked the runway for Naomi Campbell's "Fashion for Relief" event.
Dynamo often performs magic stunts with celebrities. In 2009, he made comedian Matt Lucas float four feet off the ground at a stadium in London.
In 2013, Dynamo worked with Pepsi Max. He famously floated next to a London Bus as it drove through the city. This stunt was seen by news channels all over the world. Later that year, he worked with Mercedes-Benz on a video with Formula One driver David Coulthard.
In 2014, Dynamo worked with Hunter, a fashion brand, for London Fashion Week. He seemed to float and then made models, including Suki Waterhouse, disappear in front of a crowd.
In 2015, Dynamo helped Fiat launch their new car, the Fiat 500X. He made the car appear in a beam of light in front of a live audience. This performance took three years of planning!
In 2017, Dynamo worked with Betfair to help the FC Barcelona football team. He visited their training ground and helped them with visualization exercises. He worked with players like Luis Suárez and Gerard Piqué.
Dynamo has also used his magic to help charities like Comic Relief, Sport Relief, and Children in Need. In 2010, he appeared on Sport Relief and made lottery tickets turn into cash in front of singer Robbie Williams. He also performed a levitation trick for comedian James Corden.
He has appeared on ESPN, the BBC's Never Mind the Buzzcocks, and Young Apprentice. In 2013, he filmed with the pop band One Direction for "1D Day." He also opened the semi-final of Strictly Come Dancing with a magic and dance routine.
In February 2018, Dynamo was on Amazon Prime's The Grand Tour. In November of that year, he performed for Prince Charles' 70th birthday on ITV's We Are Most Amused and Amazed.
Live Tours
In 2014, Dynamo announced his first live tour, "Seeing Is Believing." He wanted to create a magic show that fans had never seen before.
He was first scheduled for 10 shows in the UK. But because so many people wanted tickets, the tour grew to three years and 145 dates! He sold over 750,000 tickets and performed in big arenas across the UK, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand.
Dynamo became the first magician to headline The O2 in London. He performed there three times, and his final show was even broadcast live on TV.
Books by Dynamo
Dynamo has written several books about his life, his journey, and his magic.
- In 2013, he released his first book, Nothing Is Impossible: My Story. It became a Sunday Times Bestseller.
- In 2017, he released Dynamo: The Book of Secrets. This book is a guide for new magicians, with tips, tricks, and some of his best-kept secrets. It became the number one paperback non-fiction book on The Guardian's chart.
Charity Work
Dynamo has worked with many charities throughout his career. Besides his work with Children in Need, Comic Relief, and Sport Relief, he has also supported other causes.
In 2016, Dynamo worked on a film for Theirworld, a charity focused on children's education. In 2017, he became an ambassador for Theirworld. He has worked with them to help promote education for Syrian refugee children. As part of this work, Dynamo has traveled around the world and met with world leaders at the United Nations to discuss ways to help.
Personal Life
Dynamo was diagnosed with Crohn's disease when he was 17. This is a long-term condition that affects the digestive system. In 2018, he shared a video talking about his struggles with the disease. He explained how a severe case of food poisoning in 2017 made his Crohn's worse, leading to severe arthritis, weight gain, and rashes.
In 2012, Dynamo married his partner, Kelly. They met at a music festival. They live in a historic cottage in Hampstead, north London.
Awards and Recognition
Dynamo has received many awards and honors for his magic.
- In 2012, he was made an Associate of the Magic Circle for Performance by The Magic Circle.
- Dynamo: Magician Impossible won the Best Entertainment Programme award at the Broadcast Awards in both 2012 and 2013. It also won Show of the Year at the Virgin Media Awards and was nominated for BAFTA TV Awards.
- In 2013, Dynamo received an honorary degree from Bradford University. This was for his dedication to Bradford, helping young people, and his charity work. He also received the Grolla d'Oro award at the Masters of Magic Convention in Italy.
- In 2015, Dynamo was named AMA Magician of the Year at The Academy of Magical Arts Awards Show. He was also given a special Fellowship to the academy.
- In 2016, Dynamo received The Magic Circle's Maskelyne Award, which is given for important contributions to British magic.
- Dynamo: Magician Impossible was nominated for Best Entertainment Programme at the BAFTA TV Awards and the Televisual Bulldog Awards in 2014.
- Dynamo was included in Forbes' list of The World's Highest-Paid Magicians in both 2016 and 2017.
Releases
- Dynamo's Underground Magic (DVD)
- Dynamo's Estate of Mind (Channel 4)
- Dynamo's Concrete Playground (DVD) [2006]
- Dynamo: Magician Impossible (Series 1, 2, 3, 4) (DVD/Blu-ray)
- Dynamo Beyond Belief (Sky One)
- Dynamo is Dead
See also
In Spanish: Dynamo (ilusionista) para niños
