Age 16-18
Jake Banfield studied A Levels at Havering Sixth Form from 2004 to 2006 and is now one of the UK’s leading professional magicians.
With his very own ‘Modern Magic’ West End show, the author of two best-selling children’s magic books which have been published worldwide, and being featured on the TV show Magic Caught on Camera, Jake hasn’t looked back since he first performed tricks in the college canteen.
The former Sanders Draper School student who was born and raised in Hornchurch, says his passion for magic really developed when he was a student. Crowds would gather during lunch times as he amazed them with card tricks, mind reading and floating object illusions.
Jake says: “The college was the perfect place to practise. It taught me how to get and keep people’s attention and how to interact with an audience. Magic was really helpful in bringing me out of my shell and communicating.”
While at the sixth form, Jake studied A Levels in Business, Biology, Maths and IT and then went on to achieve a First Class Honours degree in Business at the University of Essex. After uni he took time out from studying and travelled to New Zealand where he qualified as a ski instructor – another of his passions.
On his return to the UK he decided to pursue his love for magic. His big break came when he took a camera to London, filmed his own brand of street magic and uploaded it to YouTube. This got him an agent and his career took off.
Since then he has performed in Abu Dhabi at a Harry Potter-themed party for the Royal Family, appeared on ITV’s This Morning with Holly and Phil and worked with celebrities such as Joe Swash and Ian Wright.
During the current lockdown, Jake has been busy launching a new online magic course, but for the future, once restrictions are lifted, he aims to take his magic show in London to the next level, by hiring a director and a creative team to make a piece of theatre that is the destination in London to experience the very best cutting-edge magic.
To find out more about Jake’s online magic course or his shows, go to www.jakebanfield.com
