Peckham’s Magical Bones takes Britain’s Got Talent by storm

Britain’s Got Talent auditions normally require pizzazz, razzle-dazzle, fizz and tons of other things with “z” in them.

So opening with a history lesson going back 170 years is not the most promising start.

But that would not take into account the calm charisma of Peckham’s Magical Bones on Saturday – better known to his mum as Richard Essien.

He actually caused Simon Cowell’s jaw to drop and got four ‘yeses’ from the judges, with a backflip card trick and a sword-through-a-box disappearing act.

But before that, he told the story of his hero, Henry “Box” Brown, who escaped slavery in the south of the USA in 1849 by posting himself in a box to the free North.

Once Richard’s history lesson was over, he got full marks from the audience, as rapt attention switched to roars of applause at his tricks.

Richard has had a bit of magic practice – he made Holly Willoughby scream doing the backflip routine on ITV’s This Morning three years ago.

He has been performing street magic in Peckham for10 years so is hoping this can be his big break.

He said on BGT his dream was to one day perform on stage in Las Vegas.

Cowell asked if he had what it takes – and Richard said: “I think I do. I think I’m original and the stuff I do, nobody else does it.”

Richard has also been a backing break-dancer for Madonna and Alicia Keys, and worked with British rapper Plan B and was in the music video for number one hit single Singing In The Rain by Mint Royals.

He has adapted his original nickname, Bones, which dates from that era.

He has also been on TV series Around The World In 80 Tricks, which has been watched in more than 60 million homes globally, and toured with the West End magic show Impossible.

He had a sold-out tour at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last year and is currently planning his first National UK Tour called Black Magic for after lockdown.

Many would pay good money to see him saw Mr Cowell in half.