Ali Bongo - A man much missed

Ali Bongo
(1929-2009)

Magician and Magic Circle President

I would like to take the time to be a little bit more serious and talk about the wonderful Ali Bongo. It is with great sadness that I have to say that Ali Bongo passed away on Sunday morning at 9am. Paul Daniels broke the news to the magic world via Twitter.

Ali was a one off, he was a really remarkable man. When I was 12 years old and a member of the young magicians club I remember fondly meeting him at The Magic Circle HQ. He was very friendly, knew more about magic than anyone I had met and was so free and easy with his time and his advice.

Since he has died so many little stories about him have popped up online from magicians all over the country and all over the world. It just shows that he touched the lives of many magicians. Not only that, since I posted my status on Facebook on Sunday morning I received messages from people who were not in the magic fraternity - just regular people - and they loved him too. Watching him on TV in their childhood.

I will always remember the advice that Ali Bongo gave me about my presence on stage, I worked hard on it following that advice and it is because of him that I am a professional magician and entertainer now. He gave me many positive comments after my entrance exam to The Magic Circle and also offered me my first chance to perform at a Saturday Show at The Magic Circle. For all of his time, help and support I am very grateful. I will miss him and The Magic Circle will be a strange place to walk into tonight.

Yesterday I performed at The Magic Cavern in Barons Court. I broke the news to Richard when I arrived and he reacted in the same way as me. Ali had been an inspiration to him as well. I went out there yesterday to perform for Ali. Richard was kind enough to dedicate the show to him and I hope we did him proud. Ali loved magic and the magic world loved him in turn.

It's all for you Ali. All for you.