Dynamo's life off-screen – mental health battles, secret wife and family tragedy

14 December 2023 , 12:38

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Dynamo's life off-screen – mental health battles, secret wife and family tragedy

Magician Dynamo is gearing up to be 'killed' on TV in his brand-new programme called Dynamo is Dead, in which he'll be buried alive.

Real name Steven Frayne, the telly star is known for various stunts, from walking on water to levitating above skyscrapers. But what exactly do we know about the man behind the mind-boggling magic tricks and daring feats?

Here The Mirror explores Dynamo's struggles with mental health, his secret wife and the heartbreaking family tragedy that led to his latest TV show and unlikely newfound friendship with professional boxer and Netflix star Tyson Fury.

Dynamo stars in an upcoming Sky TV show called Dynamo is Dead (ITV)

Mental health struggles

Dynamo has been open about his difficulties with mental health recently, admitting in an interview that he "didn't want to be alive anymore" at one point. He revealed the last few years have been "up and down" and that he almost quit magic altogether.

He didn't think he was "good enough", despite pulling off some of the most incredible tricks ever seen on television. Speaking to Chris Moyles on Radio X, the 40-year-old said: "My body was shutting down, my brain was shutting down to the point where I couldn't really perform magic to the level that I used to be able to and that was a bitter pill to swallow for me. It kind of took its toll on me."

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Asked how bad his mental health got, Dynamo said: "It got to a point where I didn’t really see the point in being alive anymore. I think for me, losing my connection with my audience, not doing magic, I don't really see the point of me being alive. And if I can’t do magic, then what it the point of my existence? That’s kind of what I thought.

"I went to Tyson Fury's gym and I was filming magic with him. We were talking really candidly about his mental health struggles, how he overcame it and what he does to cope. The thing is, when you come from a working class background, like me and like Tyson, you’re often told when you’re growing up, you don’t talk about your problems."

Top secret wife

Dynamo met wife Kelly back in 2011 (Dave Benett/Getty Images for Fli)

The two tied the knot back in 2012 (WireImage)

Dynamo's love life has been largely kept out of the public eye. But it was in 2014 that the magician was seen splashing the cash at a clearly extremely successful point in his career as he enjoyed a lavish getaway with his wife Kelly Frayne.

Not a lot is known about Kelly, but the pair met back in 2011, tying the knot in 2012. She's from Bradford in West Yorkshire, just like Dynamo, and the two are still thought to be living in their Grade-II listed cottage in Hampstead, London.

Dynamo previously revealed he met Kelly at a music festival, explaining: "We ended up talking about magic. She started making lots of magic jokes – she didn't like magic at all – so I thought, 'Right, no one mocks my profession.'

"I said, 'I'm going to show you magic's cool and you're going to like me.' Then I wooed her. It was the best magic I've ever done. "I'm not going to tell you what it was… but it worked. I'm very fortunate to be married to the most amazing person. She's my best friend as well as my lover."

He spoke previously of desires to become a father, adding: "As a dad, I will do everything that my dad didn't, that I missed out on, that I longed for as a kid. Someone to point me in the right direction, that sort of thing. Mostly, I will make sure my kid has companionship."

Heartbreaking family tragedy

Opening up about the reasons behind creating his new TV show, Dynamo is Dead, Frayne detailed a major moment that shifted his focus, also leading to his tricker times of late. "My nana and my dogs died in the same weekend just over a year ago."

"It crushed me," he told Metro.co.uk, adding: "My mum had me really young, and my nana was my second mum. When she died, I felt like the magic in me died with her. I felt like I didn't have a reason to live. My grandpa taught me magic and got me into it.

"But my nana was the one who took me to the magic shop, nurtured me, and took me to magic conferences and magic competitions." It was his ongoing battle with Crohn's and his tragic loss that led to the magician's more difficult moments.

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"It was a combination of not feeling like I wanted to do it, and physically not being able to because I've got Crohn’s disease which has been plaguing me for quite a few years." Dynamo was diagnosed with the uncurable bowel disease at the age of 15.

Harry Rutter