Variety returns to BBC1 Saturdays

Paul Zerdin, Nina Conti and Men In Coats have taken part in a pilot of a new BBC1 variety show.

Corporation bosses hope the new programme, Trick Saturday, will help reinvent the prime-time weekend schedules.

Hypnotist Paul McKenna would host the show, alongside ventriloquist Zerdin, mindreader Marc Paul and close-up magician David Redfearn.

It would be based around magic and illusion, but also feature variety turns such as ventriloquist Conti (right) and the Men In Coats' mime act.

Producer Graham Smith told entertainment trade newspaper The Stage: "Magic on television has been out of fashion for quite a long time, but with the advent of people like David Blaine making it cool again, there is a lot of desire to get magic back on screen.

"BBC1 is very interested in a show that takes magic and modernises it."

Published: 31 Oct 2002