Steven Frayne
British illusionist

Steven Frayne (born 17 December 1982), formerly known by the stage name Dynamo, is a British magician and illusionist.
His television show Dynamo: Magician Impossible ran from July 2011 to September 2014, and saw him win the Best Entertainment Programme award at the 2012 and 2013 Broadcast Awards. He has toured the world, and his Seeing Is Believing arena tour was seen by more than 750,000 people across the UK, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.
Early life
Frayne was born in Bradford, England, to an English mother, aged 17, and a father of Pakistani Pathan ancestry. Frayne is the eldest of four children, his late father went to prison in 1986 when Frayne was four. At the age of 19, his father came to see his act and, according to Frayne, made a failed attempt to recruit him into crime.
Frayne grew up for a time on the Delph Hill estate in Wyke, one of the most deprived areas in the UK at the time. Frayne was bullied at school. His great grandfather, who had learnt magic tricks in the RN, taught him his first trick to make him seem heavier so others couldn't pick him up. Frayne is a supporter of Bradford City A.F.C.
Early career
Frayne was given the name Dynamo in 2001 while performing at Houdini's centenary celebrations at the New York Hilton in front of magic peers including David Blaine and David Copperfield.
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