At this age I was the odd combination of being very shy but also an attention seeker. When I was five, I had watched a Paul Daniels magic show on Saturday-night TV and instantly wanted to do it myself. My auntie got me a Paul Daniels magic set, and after that magic became my superpower. I needed one, really. I was a short, brown kid growing up in Leeds in the 80s and 90s, and was the only person of colour in my primary school. I was performing to overcompensate for being an outsider. Not that I was bullied – I had a wonderful and idyllic childhood, in general. But, much like comedy, magic is a defence mechanism, and a helpful way to survive the playground.