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Magician Paul Daniels has died aged 77, after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.

He was at his Berkshire home with wife Debbie McGee when he died in the early hours of Thursday.

"Debbie and the family would like to thank everyone for their support and asks that their privacy be respected at this sad time," his publicist said.

He fronted BBC's Paul Daniels Magic Show for 15 years and became one of the biggest stars on British TV.

Just some of the Press:

"'Our life was full of laughter until the last 48 hours when he slipped into sleep': Paul Daniels's tearful wife Debbie McGee reveals he spent his final days eating his favourite Magnum ice creams and singing Beatles songs" www.dailymail.co.uk.

"Steve Allen's Touching Tribute To Paul Daniels" www.lbc.co.uk.

"Paul Daniels' best clips, from the Iron Maiden to disappearing elephants" www.theguardian.com.

"Paul Daniels: David Copperfield pays tribute to the late magician" www.express.co.uk.

"Paul Daniels: Debbie McGee says their lives were full of laughter" www.bbc.co.uk.
"Dynamo: Paul Daniels was 'first working class magician' to make it and a 'master'" www.bbc.co.uk.
"TV magician Paul Daniels dies aged 77" www.itv.com.

"Paul Daniels – an accomplished trickster who was not hiding anything from the public" www.theguardian.com.
"Dynamo: 'Paul Daniels was the godfather of magic'" www.bigissue.com.
"Other magicians did tricks – Paul Daniels performed magic" www.theguardian.com.
"Paul Daniels: Middlesbrough Circle of Magicians tell how he never forgot his roots" www.gazettelive.co.uk.

Debbie McGee said she hopes that the “legacy” of her late husband Paul Daniels will be continued in their nephew, who has auditioned as a magician for this year’s Britain’s Got Talent series.

James Phelan, 23, will follow in the footsteps of Paul, who died in March from a brain tumour, as he shows off his sleight of hand in the talent competition – and he’ll have a personal cheerleader in the form of Debbie. She explained: “As his Uncle Paul got ill, James applied for Britain’s Got Talent. “He’d never been on the stage, he’s very brave, and he didn’t have any help from myself or Paul because Paul was too ill and I was nursing him. We’d just have phone calls – he’d say, ‘Don’t worry, Aunty Deb, I’ve come up with this idea, it’s going to be great.’ “Paul would be so proud. It would be fantastic if he won.”
Debbie, who was the popular magician’s assistant and then wife of 28 years, revealed Paul had been impressed with James since a young age when he showed off a cheeky entrepreneurial side. “When he was about 9 or 10 he’d come over for Sunday lunch and bring a Paul Daniels’ second-hand magic set or book and get us to sign them. “One day Paul said: ‘James where are you getting these from?’ and he said, ‘I’m buying them on eBay, I get you to sign them and then I put them back on!”

Attending the Good Morning Britain Health Star Awards, she praised the “amazing” doctors and nurses who helped Paul through his final weeks. Speaking about her support of the awards, she said: “So recently I’ve had to rely on the NHS and I’ve had such a good experience that I think it’s lovely to reward people that do a job they’re committed to without getting the praise they actually deserve. “He was in hospital for two weeks but either side of the hospital stay our GP surgery and district nurses were amazing. They’ve supported me and continued that after Paul has died and phoned and checked I was OK, which is just fantastic.” She said she was “letting myself take each day” as she struggled with her grief. “It’s not easy, all my friends say I’ve always been the most positive person they’ve met and I’ve always been a person who counts their blessings so although I do get sad and I’m not very good at being in the house on my own, I’m trying to keep busy and have family stay. “I’m just letting myself take each day. If I get to a point where I feel I need grief counseling, I won’t hesitate to pick up the phone but at the moment, I’m just coping.”

Asked if a tribute is planned to the entertainer similar to the star-studded one for Cilla Black, Debbie replied: “In time. We need to get through the next six months and then I think I’ll be strong enough to think about things like that and get involved in things.”

All Star Mr and Mrs with guests Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee (Rpt)

3.15am on Saturday 20th August (1 hour) on TV3.
All Star Mr and Mrs sees three celebrity couples battle it out to win £30,000 for their chosen charity. Who knows the most about their other half? All the couples need to do is match each other's answers - but it's not as easy as it seems. The couple with the most matches at the end of the first two rounds goes through to play in the final. Can they match their answers again in the tricky final round and win the jackpot? The celebrity couples joining Phillip Schofield this week are Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee, Spandau Ballet's Martin Kemp and his wife Shirlie, and actress Jennifer Ellison and husband Rob.