Fay Presto
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Fay Presto is a British magician and a member of The Inner Magic Circle.
Fay showed little interest in performing until her mid thirties, being more content to hammer away back stage in school productions. An academic disaster, her first job was as a laboratory assistant at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment Harwell. This was not a success, nor was a foray into the world of fashion in the East end of London.
A short return to the world of academe was less than spectacular, although as a Student Union President Fay found herself defending the NUS headquarters shoulder-to-shoulder with Jack Straw, the then National President, against attack from Oxford Union Radicals. A longer career in Engineering sales showed more promise until an impending nervous breakdown and sex-change procedure forced yet another career change into show business. This chequered career was, ultimately, the finest training available for a ‘would-be-magician’.
In 2001 Fay Presto played herself in ITV's 'Emmerdale', something that has also been done by the Prince of Wales amongst others, in 'Coronation Street'. In 1998 she was voted ‘Party Entertainer of the Year’ by Tatler Magazine.
In the world of show business Fay has also performed for Sting, Madonna, Michael Caine, Eric Clapton, Sir Elton John, Sir Cliff Richard, Sir Paul McCartney, Boy George, Dustin Hoffman, Billy Connolly, Jude Law and Sean Penn to name but a few. Corporate clients include 10 Downing Street, Mirimax, Arthur Anderson, Aston Martin, Tesco, Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, Citalia, Asprey, Bulgari, HomeBase, Shell, WestLB, Coca Cola and Yahoo.
Other television credits includes 'Heroes of Magic' (ITV), Paul Daniel's Secrets (BBC1), The Late Late Show for RTE, Dinner Dates (ITV), The Car's the Star, Trick on 2 (BBC2) and Wogan (BBC1). Fay was also the sole subject of a BBC2 '40 Minutes' documentary, "Illusions of Grandeur" about her life and transsexuality.
Fay has been resident Thursday night magician at Langan's Brasserie in London’s West End for over 15 years, and until recently she ran the team of in-house magicians at Marco Pierre White's Criterion Brasserie. When not entertaining at corporate or private events she can be seen entertaining diners on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays at Marco Pierre White's Frankie's in Knightsbridge.
Fay Presto is a Vice President of NCH, and resident entertainer on Dreamflight, a scheme that has so far taken 4000 seriously ill children on holiday to theme parks in Florida (adding on average five years to each short life.) Her charity work favours organisations that work to release the full potential of disadvantaged people.
Fay’s stand-up show has been seen several years at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, in theatres all over Britain and as far away as The Magic Castle in Los Angeles. She also fronts her own magical variety show 'The Presto Pack' featuring herself, the physical and acrobatic magic of Fluke, and the whole new twist on silent magic put together by Richard McDougall all accompanied by pianist 'Harry' (as seen on Channel 4's The Big Breakfast).
