ROBERT Temple is a ‘master of persuasion’.

He has been practising these arts since he was three years old.

The ‘master’ of his art first used his skills when he wanted a Paul Daniel’s Magic Set.

He tried to convince his mum, then his dad, but the reply was a firm ‘no’.

The young Robert was instead given Sooty and Sweep glove puppets instead.

Then the magic happened and through his powers of persuasion and like Paul Daniel’s would have said ‘and that’s magic’- Robert got the magic set he wanted.

Getting the magic set was a turning point for him, as it sparked his a life-long love of magic which would be his key to becoming a hypnotist.

Robert said: “When I got older, I joined the Northern Magic Circle and I got to know Paul Daniel’s as he was our president, right up until the day he died.

“I used to go and see his magic act when he was in Newcastle and would got for both the matinee and evening shows.

“I was able to chat to him about magic and would send him an email and he would respond.

“I enjoyed doing magic as a child and when I was doing my GCSEs I was entertaining at children’s parties or doing close up magic at weddings.

“I love magic and I am even playing with a deck of cards as we speak.

“But one day I woke up and realised I did not have the same buzz for magic and thought I wanted to be a hypnotist.

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“I enjoy doing this as I never know what is going to happen from one night to the next “When I was growing up my parents who never wanted me to be a lawyer or a doctor were happy for me to become an entertainer.

“It was a completely different to them as my dad was a computer programmer and my step mum was a teacher.

“No one had been an entertainer in our family before so there was no entertainment dynasty.

“I did do stand up comedy but comedians are 10 a penny and I was not one of the best”

One of the issues Robert said some people had with a professional hypnotist was they felt it was all an act and the those who went on stage to be hypnotised were ‘all stooges’- planted by him as part of the show.

Robert said: “Part of this wanting not to believe is it comes down to the fact they cannot explain it (the hypnotism).

“And they do not believe it to be real like I do not believe in ghosts of aliens.

“I understand why people might not believe but when we sleep we all dream, even if we cannot remember doing it when we wake up.

“And this is what it is like when you are hypnotised. Some people can recall what happened to them, while others remember bits of it or it comes back when they see the film of themselves on stage.”

For those who have seen Robert’s shows or a picture of him you will realise there is a twist to his appearance.

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This is down to the fact he wears shirt, tie, waist coast and jacket - smart appearance but he has bright red hair.

Like anything in life, there is a story behind this tale of the red hair.

Explaining the reason why, Robert said: “When I was 18 years old I was speaking to someone who had just watched the show.

“He said he had seen a hypnotist before.

“I asked who he saw. He said he could not remember and I thought I needed to make a statement if he could not remember.

“There were at that time 20-25 hypnotists working and now there are far less.

“So I decided to go into town the next day and walked into a hair salon and got my hair dyed red. That was when I was 18-years-old and I am now 30-years-old.”

The controversial comedy stage hypnotist with his red hair, blue mouth and outrageous show said:“Nobody has ever done a show like this on a scale like this,” said 30-year-old Robert who lives in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and was one of the best young magicians in the country before discovering hypnotism.

He has also turned his back on family entertainment - for the time being - preferring to develop the act which over the past decade has delighted and shocked students during Fresher Week shows.

“It’s the sort of humour I like – a bit Chubby Brown and end of the pier show – but with the added element of hypnotism which means the audience and, of course the volunteers on stage, don’t quite know where they’re heading,” he added.

The show is edgy and outrageous but falls in line with the strict regulations governing stage hypnotism.

“The audience knows what’s in store when they buy a ticket and nobody is hypnotised against their will.

“It’s an evening where people can forget all about their inhibitions – literally.

“I hope when people come and see the show they come with an open mind and then they can make up there mind at the end,”

added Robert Robert Temple: The Hypnotist: Live & Outrageous will be at Yeovil’s Westlands Entertainment Centre on Friday, April 6.

Tickets for the show cost £20 and concessions £17.

These can be bought online at westlandsyeovil.co.uk or by calling the box office on 01935 422884.