Dynamo thanks NHS for saving his career

The magician formerly known as Dynamo has said he would not have been able to return to performing were it not for the NHS.

The 42-year-old, whose real name is Steven Frayne, who suffers from both Crohn's disease and arthritis, said the pain in his joints became so severe he "could not even hold a pack of cards".

He praised the "magic" of the NHS, who helped him manage his health, and recalled the moment he decided to "bury Dynamo" and re-start his career under his real name.

Speaking at Advertising Week Europe 2025, the Bradford-born performer added: "I resonate with what the NHS does because I would not be performing again without their help."

Frayne was diagnosed with Crohn's disease as a teenager, and later, with arthritis, which had made him feel "like everything I cared about was just being taken away from me".

"But in that moment... I realised the magic is actually in everybody else - in the people that lifted me up, in the NHS that helped me, and I started to focus on the magic in other people," he said.

Frayne's health troubles compelled him to take a two-year break from his career.

After symbolically burying himself alive in a show entitled Dynamo Is Dead, in 2023, Frayne has returned to performing, and is currently in the middle of a residency at Underbelly Boulevard Soho in London.

"It's the first ever show I've ever done as myself, not as Dynamo, and it is a very personal show to me," he said.

"For me it's about creating a show that showcases my magic - and also incorporates the magic of other people - because a lot of the magic in the show is made up by the audience members as we go along, so the show is different every single night."

"It's super intimate, but it allows me to really connect with people. I can see every single person's face," Frayne continues.

"There's moments where every single person in the audience is part of the magic at the same time."

Earlier this year, Frayne headlined RISE, the opening event to mark the inauguration of Bradford City of Culture, in which he performed to a live audience of 10,000 people.

Speaking at the time, he said: "I don't think any of us in Bradford ever saw this coming, and I think it's very needed.

"There's so many parts of Bradford that need support. Some of the areas haven't had the love and support they needed to bring them up to speed," he added.

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