Dynamo: Magician Impossible
| Dynamo: Magician Impossible | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Documentary |
| Directed by | Simon Dinsell (2011, 2013) Mark McQueen (2012) |
| Starring | Steven Frayne |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 4 |
| No. of episodes | 17 (inc. 1 Christmas special) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Dan Albion Lucy Ansbro Debbie Young Helen Parker Angela Robertson |
| Producers | Randeep Sandhu Luti Fagbenle |
| Production locations | London Bradford |
| Running time | 45 minutes (approx.) |
| Production companies | Phil McIntyre Television Inner Circle Films |
| Original release | |
| Network | Watch |
| Release | 7 July 2011 – 25 September 2014 |
| Related | |
| Tricked Troy | |
Dynamo: Magician Impossible is a fly on the wall documentary series following the life of English magician Steven Frayne, better known as Dynamo. The show is produced by Phil McIntyre Productions and Inner Circle Films for UKTV's channel Watch and Universal Networks International.[1][2] In 2012, the show was nominated for Best Entertainment Programme at the 17th National Television Awards.[3]
Four series of Dynamo: Magician Impossible were commissioned and broadcast on Watch between 2011 and 2014. The series reached over 30 million viewers in the UK[4] and over 250 million viewers worldwide across 193 territories.[5] After being broadcast on Watch, it was confirmed on 19 December 2013 that three episodes from the show's first series would air on BBC One the following year.[6] Repeats are now regularly broadcast on UKTV's channel Dave.
Background
In 2003, before Frayne created and filmed Dynamo: Magician Impossible, the Prince's Trust gave him a loan which allowed him to start his business and invest in camera equipment.[7] Frayne left his hometown of Bradford, Yorkshire, to move to London in 2004 to begin developing his career in magic.[8][9] His plan was to create the first ever 'magic mix-tape',[10] where he set out with a small team to film his performances on the streets of London and backstage at events. In a year, Frayne had performed magic to talent including Coldplay, Gwyneth Paltrow, Snoop Dogg and more,[11] and quickly developed a fan-base after posting the clips on YouTube.[8]
Frayne first appeared on TV as Dynamo on Channel 4’s Richard & Judy, where the general public and television executives quickly noticed his kind-hearted and loveable attitude.[12]
Series overview
Series 1
The four-episode first series aired from 7 July 2011 until 28 July 2011.[13] To launch the show, Frayne walked on water across the River Thames outside the Houses of Parliament, in front of a crowd who had gathered on Westminster Bridge.[14] The first series was filmed in London, Miami and Los Angeles, and racked up 6.69 million viewers in the UK, leading to UKTV renewing the show for a second and third series in February 2012.[15]
| No. | Location(s) | Date | Viewers[16] (millions) |
Watch weekly rank[16] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | London | 7 July 2011 | 1.35 | 1 |
| 2 | 14 July 2011 | 1.73 | 1 | |
| 3 | Miami | 21 July 2011 | 1.79 | 1 |
| 4 | Los Angeles, London | 28 July 2011 | 1.82 | 1 |
Series 2
Series 2 of Dynamo: Magician Impossible premiered on 5 July 2012,[17] and was again four-episodes in duration. Episode 2 of this series saw Dynamo visit Rio de Janeiro, where he appeared to levitate in front of the Christ the Redeemer statue.[18]
The series generated 7.67 million viewers in the UK and won the award for Best Entertainment Programme at the Broadcast Awards,[19] show of the year at the Virgin Media awards[20] and was shortlisted for Best Entertainment Programme at the 17th National Television Awards.[21] This series also received a BAFTA nomination for Best Entertainment Programme.[22]
| No. | Location(s) | Date | Viewers[16] (millions) |
Watch weekly rank[16] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | London, Bradford | 5 July 2012 | 2.10 | 1 |
| 2 | Rio de Janeiro | 12 July 2012 | 2.05 | 1 |
| 3 | Arizona, Las Vegas, Los Angeles | 19 July 2012 | 1.95 | 1 |
| 4 | London | 26 July 2012 | 1.57 | 1 |
Series 3
In 2013, Frayne travelled to New York City, Ibiza, South Africa and London to film content for the show's third series. The first episode, filmed in New York City, was broadcast on 11 July 2013 and was viewed by 1.35 million people. The series was again nominated for BAFTA's Best Entertainment Programme award, alongside Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, Derren Brown: The Great Art Robbery and Strictly Come Dancing.[23]
| No. | Location(s) | Date | Viewers[16] (millions) |
Watch weekly rank[16] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York City | 11 July 2013 | 1.35 | 1 |
| 2 | Ibiza | 18 July 2013 | 1.01 | 1 |
| 3 | South Africa | 25 July 2013 | 1.25 | 1 |
| 4 | London, Sheffield | 1 August 2013 | 0.70 | 1 |
Series 4
A fourth and final series of the show was commissioned by UKTV in 2014, which aired in the September of the same year.[24] In this series, Dynamo performed street magic in California, India, Paris, London, Manchester and Bradford. For the third year running, Dynamo: Magician Impossible was nominated by BAFTA for the Best Entertainment Programme award.[25]
| No. | Location(s) | Date | Viewers[16] (millions) |
Watch weekly rank[16] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 4 September 2014 | 0.80 | 1 |
| 2 | India | 11 September 2014 | 0.50 | 2 |
| 3 | Paris, London | 18 September 2014 | 0.48 | 3 |
| 4 | Manchester, London, Bradford | 25 September 2014 | 0.49 | 1 |
International syndications
References
- ^ "DYNAMO: LIVE". Phil McIntyre. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "DYNAMO: MAGICIAN IMPOSSIBLE". Lexhag VFX. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "Watch and King of Magic Dynamo conclude Magician Impossible | News | UKTV Corporate Site". corporate.uktv.co.uk. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ Bond, Anthony (28 August 2014). "Dynamo Shard levitation: Magician breaks silence over criticised stunt with mysterious 'all will be revealed' tweet". mirror. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "Dynamo confirms Magician Impossible will end after four series". Radio Times. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ Eames, Tom (19 December 2013). "Dynamo UKTV series to air on BBC One". Digital Spy. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "Interview: Dynamo". Radio Times. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ a b "Dynamo Biography | Dynamo: Magician Impossible | W Channel". w.uktv.co.uk. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "Dynamo – Performing Artistes". performingartistes.co.uk. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ Saner, Emine (6 July 2012). "Saturday interview: Dynamo, the magician who walks on water". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ Bano, Tim (13 November 2018). "Dynamo interview | After illness, returning to magic in small rooms". The Stage. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "Interview with Dynamo". K9 Magazine. 19 November 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ England, retrieved 12 June 2019
- ^ "Trick or feat? Magician Dynamo 'walks across Thames'". The Guardian. 27 June 2011. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ Wightman, Catriona (2 February 2012). "'Dynamo: Magician Impossible' renewed". Digital Spy. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "What's new – BARB". Archived from the original on 21 September 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
- ^ Venice, retrieved 12 June 2019
- ^ "How Dynamo blew the world's mind". Shortlist. 1 September 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ Wightman, Catriona (3 February 2012). "Broadcast Awards 2012: Winners in full". Digital Spy. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "Dynamo Wins Tv Show of the Year at Virgin Media Awards". femalefirst.co.uk. 13 February 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "The National Television Awards 2012 winners in full". Radio Times. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "Television in 2013 | BAFTA Awards". awards.bafta.org. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "Television in 2014 | BAFTA Awards". awards.bafta.org. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ Wightman, Catriona (13 August 2014). "Why is Dynamo ending his TV show?". Digital Spy. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "Television in 2015 | BAFTA Awards". awards.bafta.org. Retrieved 12 June 2019.