DURING a long and glittering career, magician Paul Daniels has entertained royalty, Prime Ministers and a host of showbiz celebrities - as well as television audiences around the globe.

But now he's leaving the plush surroundings of London's West End, New York and Hollywood firmly behind to conjure up a tour of slightly more down-to-earth venues.

The 67-year-old, who once played the London Palladium and the Prince of Wales Theatre, has confirmed he's to tread the boards of, among others, Mickleton Village Hall, in Teesdale, County Durham.

Mr Daniels, who was born in South Bank, near Middlesbrough, and made his television debut in 1969 on ITV's Opportunity Knocks, is to perform at five village halls in Teesdale, during next month and July.

He said: "Strangers, even those in showbusiness, cannot understand why I would want to do Las Vegas and Hollywood, Australia, New Zealand and the like, and then come home to do a village tour.

"I do it because I like it, it is that simple. The audience all know each other, so it is much more like a family party than work."

Mr Daniels, who married assistant Debbie McGee in 1988, was a virtual ever-present on TV screens during much of the 1980s and early nineties.

He cemented his popularity with The Paul Daniels Magic Show and went on to host several gameshows, including Odd One Out, Every Second Counts and Wipe Out.

He has played in front of British and European royalty, and is the only non-American magician to receive the Magician of the Year award by the Hollywood Academy of Arts.

The Teesdale village halls were chosen when organiser Sue Simons, of Simons Events and Management, came across the website of Teesdale Village Halls Consortium (TVHC) on the Internet.

Helen Thistlethwaite, marketing officer for TVHC, said: "We are thrilled that Paul has chosen Teesdale and delighted that he is using village halls and community centres to perform his shows.

"I hope the shows will be well supported and this will lead to more of these type of events in the future."

Marion Hutchinson, secretary of Mickleton Village Hall Association, said: "We're delighted he's coming. We've had some quite big names perform here with the R&B club, but this is probably one of the biggest British acts we've had.

"I don't think we'll have any problems selling tickets. I've seen him before, in London, so I know the kind of stuff he does.

"I'll be there this time as someone's got to be there to make cups of tea. We didn't have time to apply for an alcohol license so it'll be tea and biscuits at half-time.

"Everyone wants to know if Debbie McGee's coming as well, but I'm afraid I don't know."

Daniels plays at Mickleton Village Hall on June 25; Toft Hill and Etherley Community Centre on June 26; Bowes Village Hall on July 1; Witham Hall, Barnard Castle, on July 2, and Butterknowle Village Hall on July 3. Shows begin at 7.30pm and tickets cost £13.50 for adults and £8 for children.

For details, contact Helen Thistlethwaite on (01833) 696650