Martin Portlock is a renowned magician known for his incredible talent and captivating performances. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Portlock has become a master of his craft, mesmerizing audiences with his mind-bending tricks and illusions. Born and raised in England, Martin Portlock discovered his passion for magic at a young age. He began his journey by studying and learning from some of the greatest magicians in the world, honing his skills and perfecting his act. Portlock's dedication to his craft paid off, as he quickly gained recognition for his exceptional talent and unique performance style. What sets Martin Portlock apart from other magicians is his ability to engage and connect with his audience.

I was Britain’s Got Talent star The Witch – I almost DIED backstage in a moment that was never shown on TV

THE man behind Britain’s Got Talent’s legendary character The Witch has revealed he almost DIED during a backstage incident that was never shown on TV.

Martin Portlock recently came forward as the person underneath those terrifying prosthetics, over a year after terrifying the nation on the ITV1 show.

As well as the main show, Martin also revived The Witch for the spin-off, Britain’s Got Talent: The Ultimate Magician, and that’s where he had a terrifying brush with death while rehearsing for his performance with a snake.

Martin exclusively told The Sun: “One thing you didn’t see on TV was that I nearly died. I did this performance where a snake comes out of this teddy bear, and when I was backstage, I tried to handle the snake, who was called Kevin, for the first time.

Now, I'm not an animal handler, and this this thing came up to me and it absolutely loved the heat of my neck. The next thing I know, this massive snake coiled itself right around my neck and went so tight, I was almost strangled. I was praying it wouldn’t do the same to me on the stage!”

The 41 year-old actor took over the creepy role for the semi finals of the show after the original actor- who still chooses to remain anonymous - pulled out after the audition.

And Martin revealed that keeping his identity a secret backstage involved a covert operation.

“A couple of the producers knew my real identity so that I wasn’t turned away when I arrived at the studio but then noone else knew. I had my own dressing room so I could transform in secret with the prosthetics team and then the whole time backstage, I basically stayed in character.”

And while the judges had no idea who he really was, he admits he did let them on the secret MONTHS ago before publicly outing himself earlier this month.

“The judges absolutely had no idea who I was at the time - when we do the rehearsal before the live show, producers sit in on the panel in the place of the judges - but I did reach out to them a few weeks after the show and thank them because it was one of my regrets at the time that I never got to thank them on stage as I had to stay in character.”

I was BGT star The Witch and wowed the judges and audiences – but a wrong move has left me a complete unknown

THE DAD who found infamy playing The Witch on Britain's Got Talent admits he is still 'kicking himself' for staying anonymous.

Martin Portlock horrified and delighted audiences with his creepy performances but said he was unable to lap up the fame like other contestants.

So intense was the act, The Witch famously had judges Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon squealing and fleeing their seats.

One appearance saw him hand apples to the hesitant judges, including Simon Cowell and David Walliams.

Three were bitten into and proved to be perfectly edible while one crumbled into a pile of creepy crawlies, including cockroaches, that scuttled all over the judging panel's desk.

The dad-of-two was forced to step into the shoes of a previous performer who was unable to continue the role in the 2022 semi-final and also returned for the show's 'Ultimate Magician' series.

Despite being no stranger to performing, the 41-year-old actor was forced to roll up his sleeves and go through magician training to ensure he was up to scratch too.

In addition to his gruelling magical training, Martin had to endure four hours in the make-up chair having prosthetics fitted - and another hour peeling them off when it was over.

To further add to the mystique of the character, Martin chose to hide his true identity - a decision he ultimately came to regret and says he 'punched himself' over the move.

He also offered some advice to terrified judge Amanda Holden - urging her to "know her fears".

What sets Martin Portlock apart from other magicians is his ability to engage and connect with his audience. Every performance is filled with energy and excitement, as Portlock effortlessly commands the attention of his spectators. His charismatic stage presence and charming personality create an immersive experience that leaves audiences in awe.

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Martin, from Ellesmere, Shropshire, said: "I didn't want to say who I was as it takes something away from the performance, it takes the magic away.

"I had to bite my tongue for quite a while as all the shows were going on. That was kind of a personal choice because it added energy to the Witch and the character and the mystery.

"But at the same time, it was horrible because you see all of these contestants coming through and they get that recognition.

"Acting is a hard profession, especially when it comes to recognition.

"When I was backstage I was punching myself thinking 'what am I doing? No-one knows who I am. What's the point of doing this?'.

"I had to bite my tongue for quite a while as all the shows were going on."

Despite being unable to lap up the media attention, Martin did disclose to close friends and family that he was the man behind the prosthetic mask.

Martin said: "I had close friends and family that knew I was doing it – people that I knew I could trust. They're your rocks.

"But I did have a lot of friends who I couldn't tell that I was doing it because friends tell friends. I had to be very tight-lipped about it."

Hiding his identity wasn't the only hardship Martin was facing while on the show, he and his partner also endured several "life struggles" at the same time.

Martin said: "While I was doing The Witch we were struggling with IVF and had several life struggles, including the loss of a family member, so that was another emotional challenge to go through while I was trying to do this immense stage show.

"Just before you walk onto stage, you have to put all of that emotion and everything you're struggling with into a box and leave it on the side of the stage, and then walk out and just be that character."

The brains behind The Witch were Shaune and Paula Harrison from The Prosthetics Studio, who have done the prosthetics for huge film franchises such as Harry Potter and Star Wars.

Shaune and Paula reached out to Martin to play The Witch after the original actor, who doesn't want to share their identity, couldn't continue playing the role.

Martin said: "They explained to me that the person who did the original Witch in the audition couldn't continue to do it. So they were stuck.

"They got the four yeses and they got through to the semi-final, so they asked me to do it and I was just like, wow, this is big news."

The judges were branded 'wonderful' by Martin, with special praise given to Amanda for fearfully taking part in his spooky routine.

BGT star 'nearly died' backstage in unaired clip and says he was 'almost strangled'

Britain’s Got Talent’s infamous contestant The Witch has revealed he almost died while backstage but it was never shown on TV.

Actor Martin Portlock recently declared that he was the man behind the scary costume, over a year after appearing on the hit ITV show.

Martin also revived his petrifying yet popular character for the spin-off, Britain’s Got Talent: The Ultimate Magician, which aired last year December.

However, Martin claims that during the spin-off show he came face to face with death when he tried to handle a snake backstage.

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He told The Sun: "One thing you didn’t see on TV was that I nearly died.

"I did this performance where a snake comes out of this teddy bear, and when I was backstage, I tried to handle the snake, who was called Kevin, for the first time.

"Now, I'm not an animal handler, and this thing came up to me and it absolutely loved the heat of my neck. The next thing I know, this massive snake coiled itself right around my neck and went so tight, I was almost strangled."

Martin, 41, took on the role for the BGT semi-finals after the original actor- who still chooses to remain anonymous - pulled out after the audition.

The star also went on to reveal that keeping his identity a secret became a huge task and only a few producers knew who he really was.

After Martin's first appearance on the show, many fans speculated who could be behind the garish costume with many attaching famous faces such as Stephen Mulhern or Keith Lemon to the character.

Martin confirmed that he took on the role of the character on Instagram earlier this month.

He wrote: "Feel free to share. It's no longer a secret. So… one year ago today I performed on stage for television. Although it's been a bit of a secret for the past year, my identity as 'The Witch' was unknown!

"I can now confirm that The Witch on Britain's Got Talent 2022 WAS ME! I am an actor here in the U.K.

"I performed in front of 4000 people at the London, Hammersmith Apollo Theatre, live on national television for ITV in the semi-finals and again in Manchester as the finale for the Christmas special 'The Ultimate Magician'. I hope you all liked the performances."

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ITV Britain's Got Talent's The Witch's identity finally exposed a year on

The real identity of the witch from Britain's Got Talent has finally been revealed.

It has been 15 months since the act first terrified the likes of Simon Cowell and Amanda Holden at the their audition for the long-running talent show.

The creepy crone had Amanda Holden spooked when they cackled: "Do you know why they say beauty's only skin deep? Because we're all rotten to the core."

The Witch, who reached the semi-finals of the show's 15th series, was dubbed the 'scariest act ever' by some viewers after she handed out apples to the perplexed panel, one of which exploded into mealworms.

There was speculation the character was presenter Stephen Mulherne or Keith Lemon, but now their identity has been revealed by magician Marc Spellman.

Other theories also included former Coronation Street star Ian Bartholomew, Mark Gatiss, Keith Lemon and even Ant or Dec. But now, Marc Spelmann - took to his official YouTube account to reveal the identity of the Witch in Britain's Got Talent.

The master illusionist previously made two appearances on Britain's Got Talent.

And after he was first speculated to be the infamous act himself, he finally took to the video sharing platform to explain who the act is.

He explained: "It is an incredible actor called Martin Portlock.

"He was sworn to secrecy too, he couldn't tell anybody that he was the witch."

The actor himself then appeared on camera to deliver a message for his magician colleague.

Martin exclaimed: "Hi Mark, how you doing Spellman? Although the Witch was a bit of an unusual character, no one really knew who it was."

"I hear that everyone thought it was you! I hope you and the family are well on that side and the beautiful heat, it's a bit too hot for my liking."

Marc, 50, explained his reasoning, because whilst he 'basked in the glory' after he was revealed to be Magician X, he wanted his actor friend to get the recognition for his spellbinding performance.

"I really think Martin deserves huge credit and recognition for being such an iconic character as the witch on Britain's Got Talent", he explained.

Portlock's repertoire is vast and diverse, featuring a range of tricks and illusions that cater to all types of audiences. From card tricks to elaborate stage illusions, he combines both traditional and modern techniques to create a truly memorable show. His performances are a perfect blend of magic, humor, and suspense, leaving his audience guessing and questioning the boundaries of reality. In addition to his live performances, Martin Portlock has also ventured into the television and online world. He has made appearances on various TV shows and has amassed a large following on social media platforms, where he shares behind-the-scenes footage and sneak peeks into his magical world. Martin Portlock's talent and passion for magic have earned him numerous awards and accolades throughout his career. His dedication to his craft and his ability to captivate audiences have cemented his reputation as one of the top magicians in the industry. Whether performing for a small intimate crowd or a grand theater audience, Martin Portlock continues to push the boundaries of magic, constantly innovating and surprising his spectators. His performances are a testament to his skill, creativity, and unwavering commitment to his art. Martin Portlock truly is a magician like no other..

Reviews for "Martin Portlock: A Magician with a Knack for Leaving Audiences Awestruck"

1. Sarah - 2/5 - I was really disappointed with Martin Portlock's magician performance. The tricks were so predictable and I could clearly see how they were done. There was no sense of mystery or wonder at all. The show lacked any creativity and I felt like I had seen it all before. I was looking forward to an entertaining and mind-boggling experience, but all I got was a dull and uninspiring show.

2. John - 1/5 - Martin Portlock's magician act was a complete waste of time and money. The whole performance felt amateurish and unprofessional. The tricks were poorly executed and it was obvious that he was relying on cheap props and gimmicks. The audience interaction was forced and awkward, making the whole experience even more uncomfortable. I would not recommend wasting your time on this magician.

3. Emily - 2/5 - Martin Portlock's magician performance was underwhelming to say the least. The tricks he performed were utterly simple and lacked any sort of wow factor. I expected to be amazed and left with a sense of wonder, but instead, I was left feeling disappointed and unimpressed. Portlock's stage presence was also lacking, and his attempts at humor fell flat. Overall, it was a forgettable and mediocre performance that I regret spending my money on.

Martin Portlock: Conjuring Spectacular Moments of Wonder