Former television star and stage illusionist Wayne Dobson will be making a comeback in his wheelchair at the age of 64 at Haslemere Hall on Friday at 7.30pm.

In 1989 he appeared before the Queen at the Royal Variety Command Performance, which was followed by a two-year residency in Las Vegas and three series of Wayne Dobson: A Kind Of Magic which attracted more than 11 million ITV viewers in the 1990s.

But Wayne’s multiple sclerosis was worsening and almost 20 years ago in Denver he gave what seemed like his last public performance from his wheelchair.

He said: “When I came off stage, I looked into the mirror and said ‘That’s it’. I convinced myself that nobody would want to see a disabled person trying to do magic – so I went out on my own terms on a brilliant high in a brilliant show. I must admit I have really missed performing and still today I haven’t completely come to terms with it; I still find myself thinking ‘That should be me up there’ at every magic act I see!

“I’ve had a long and eventful career, and the great thing is I still have. During lockdown I did a couple of test shows and realised after so long that I should not have worried about the audience seeing me as disabled; they fully accepted me being in a wheelchair, and even my impaired speech.

“I loved performing again, and I loved it that audiences were so generous to me. So you know what? I’m going to do a few more.”

For tickets visit https://www.haslemerehall.co.uk/ or call 01428 642161.