As British illusionist Dynamo prepares to bury himself under five tonnes of dirt in the name of magic, Annabel Nugent digs deep into the dark history of similar, sometimes fatal, stunts
In 1915, great American escapologist Harry Houdini was nearly killed when he chose to be buried alive. He repeated the feat in 1926 (above), but this time chose to submerge himself in water.
The magician, whose real name is Steven Frayne, said problems with his medication saw his life to spiral into a vicious circle , as he felt physically well enough to perform but lost all pleasure from his work.
Magician Dynamo revealed he got mental health advice from unlikely pal Tyson Fury as he prepares to return to the spotlight with a new show that includes a very dangerous stunt