Stephen Mulhern's '£1million Butlin's magic show scrapped' as presenter suffers year from hell with Dancing on Ice and game series axed

Daily Mail​

21-06-2025

Stephen Mulhern 's '£1million Butlin's magic show has been scrapped' amid the presenter's year from hell.
The TV personality, 48, has performed at the entertainment resort for the last three years but will not return next summer.
It's the latest in a series of set backs for Stephen who has seen both Dancing on Ice and his game show, In For A Penny, axed.
He usually performs his magic show at the Minehead, Bognor Regis and Skegness Butlin's resorts.
A Butlin's spokesperson told The Sun: 'Stephen has been an incredible part of the Butlin's experience and continues to be a valued member of the family.
'Stephen's much-loved live show won't return in 2026 after three fantastic years, but we're thrilled to be working together on ongoing projects this autumn.'
The TV personality, 48, has performed at the entertainment resort for the last three years but will not return next summer
A source added: 'Stephen has been a massive hit with holidaymakers. He began his career as a Redcoat and has kept families brilliantly entertained.'
MailOnline has contacted Stephen's representative for comment.
While he may have found fame as a TV presenter, Stephen's first career path was as a magician.
He first took an interest in the art of illusion as a child, learning tricks from his father at the age of 11.
Stephen then began performing at a young age, holding shows for the public during family holidays to Butlins.
Last month, Stephen revealed he broke down in tears while filming new travel show The Accidental Tourist, following his year from hell.
In 2024 the presenter was not only left heartbroken following his beloved father Christopher's death, but also battled through his own health woes and was rushed to hospital after collapsing at a Pizza Express.
The new one-off ITV show sees Stephen's pals Ant McPartlin, 49, and Declan Donnelly, 49, whisk him away to South Korea to push him out of his comfort zone to eat food he does not like and was filmed shortly after his father's death.
Stephen told the Daily Mirror: 'No one's ever seen me cry on the telly, but it was quite nice to not be behind a format, I've never done that. You're going to see behind the razzle-dazzle if you like'.
He then suffered another blow after his beloved ITV show In For A Penny was axed in July (pictured in April 2024)
The Catchphrase host loved has pride in himself for starring in the show - which reportedly took him three years to be persuaded to do, but said was 'gutted' that his father was not alive to see how he got on.
An emotional Stephen admitted: 'My dad had just passed away, so that's the only thing. I'm gutted that he didn't see it.'
He continued: 'People have thankfully seen me on TV for nearly 25 years, but they may go, 'Well, what's he like at home? Is he going out with someone? I'm at the very centre of this, and it's scary'.
'They film and they film and they film and they just get everything. I think what you're going to see is a lot of emotion. You'll see me totally out of my comfort zone.'
It was announced in November that Stephen's father Christopher had passed away, with a spokesperson for the star telling told: 'Stephen has had an incredibly tough time over the past few weeks.
'His beloved father recently passed away which has hit him hard and has been understandably very stressful'.
Then shortly after Stephen was rushed to hospital after he collapsed while eating at a Pizza Express following an unknown medical procedure he had earlier in the day.
After paramedics helped him, he was put on the phone to his mother to assure her that he was OK.
Stephen suffered another blow after his beloved ITV show In For A Penny was axed, according to The Mirror, a shock decision meant his own fan-favourite Saturday night gameshow has been shelved after six series - but, bosses haven't ruled out a potential return and suggested it may have just been temporarily paused.
An ITV source told MailOnline: 'Whilst Stephen is busy filming other projects over the summer, In For A Penny continues to be a much loved format for ITV.
'So don't put your pennies away just yet as the team could be popping up in your local town, to challenge even more members of the public to take part in their unique and madcap games in the future!'