Paul Daniels Inheritance: How Much Did Debbie McGee Inherit

When magician Paul Daniels died in March 2016, he left behind more than just a television legacy — he left a tangled estate that put his widow Debbie McGee in the headlines for years after his funeral. The man who entertained BBC audiences for 15 years with his catchphrase “You’ll like this… not a lot, but you’ll like it” had been diagnosed with a glioblastoma brain tumour just months earlier.

Age at death: 77 ·
Net estate after debts: £500,000 ·
Years married to Debbie McGee: 28 ·
Brain tumour type: glioblastoma ·
Famous catchphrase: “You’ll like this… not a lot, but you’ll like it”

Paul Daniels’ life and legacy are neatly captured in the table below.

How much did Debbie McGee inherit from Paul Daniels?

Who did Paul Daniels leave his money to?

• Paul Daniels’ will left his entire estate to his wife Debbie McGee, according to a legal blog covering the case (Stephensons legal blog).
• His son from his first marriage, Paul Daniels Jr, reportedly disputed the arrangement, claiming he had been promised a share (Mirror).

What was the value of Paul Daniels estate?

• The gross estate was valued at approximately £1.5 million, but debts — including a reported mortgage and other liabilities — plus administration costs reduced the net value (Stephensons legal blog).
• A 2025 legal explainer by Gorvins stated that after debts and costs, the net sum available to Debbie McGee was less than £500,000 (Gorvins legal firm).

The implication: Debbie McGee received a far smaller inheritance than the headline £1.5 million figure suggested, and the family dispute centered on whether the sons had been inadequately provided for.

What type of brain tumour did Paul Daniels have?

What was Paul Daniels cause of death?

• Paul Daniels died at his home in Berkshire on 17 March 2016 from a glioblastoma brain tumour, with his wife Debbie McGee at his side (BBC News).
• He had been diagnosed only a short time earlier after experiencing symptoms (BBC News).

What is glioblastoma?

• Glioblastoma is an aggressive form of brain cancer that grows quickly and is difficult to treat. It is the same type of tumour that killed Senator John McCain and musician The Cranberries’ Dolores O’Riordan.
• After Daniels’ death, Debbie McGee became a public advocate for brain tumour research, launching a badge campaign in partnership with Cancer Research UK (BBC News).

The pattern: Glioblastoma remains one of the deadliest cancers, with median survival under 15 months. Daniels’ rapid decline mirrors that grim statistic.

Is Debbie McGee still married to Paul Daniels?

How old was Debbie McGee when she met Paul Daniels?

• Debbie McGee was 28 when she met Paul Daniels in 1986 while working as his assistant on tour. Daniels was 44 at the time (BBC News).
• They married two years later, in 1988, and remained together until his death — a 28-year marriage.

What happened to Paul Daniels first wife?

• Paul Daniels was previously married to Jacqueline Skipworth. The couple had three sons together, including Paul Daniels Jr. The marriage ended in divorce before Daniels met McGee.
• Little is publicly known about the terms of that divorce, but it led to the family dynamics that later fuelled the inheritance dispute.

What this means: The blended family structure — three sons from a first marriage and a much younger second wife — set the stage for the legal fight over the estate after Daniels’ death.

What was Paul Daniels famous saying?

How did Paul Daniels become famous?

• Paul Daniels hosted The Paul Daniels Magic Show on BBC One from 1979 to 1994, making him a household name in British entertainment (BBC News).
• His catchphrase “You’ll like this… not a lot, but you’ll like it” became iconic, often delivered with a theatrical pause.
• Beyond television, he performed live shows and wrote books on magic, cementing his reputation as one of the UK’s most recognisable magicians.

“You’ll like this… not a lot, but you’ll like it.”

— Paul Daniels, during his television show

The trade-off: Daniels’ fame was built on a simple, accessible persona — but behind the magic lay a complicated personal life that played out in the media long after the final curtain.

Does inheriting from a Will make you responsible for others?

Are heirs responsible for debts of the deceased?

• In the UK, an heir is not personally liable for the deceased’s debts beyond the value of the estate. Debts are paid from the estate before any distribution (Gorvins legal firm).
• If the estate is insolvent, the debts are written off; the heir receives nothing but is not required to pay out of pocket.

Did Debbie McGee have to pay Paul Daniels debts?

• Debbie McGee was not personally required to pay Paul Daniels’ debts. The estate settled all outstanding liabilities — including the mortgage and other debts — before she received the net residue.
• The legal blog Stephensons noted that the estate’s gross value was £1.5 million, but after debts and costs, only around £500,000 remained for McGee (Stephensons legal blog).

Why this matters: The inheritance dispute highlighted a common misunderstanding — heirs often think they will receive the gross estate figure, not realising that debts and legal costs can slash the final sum dramatically.

For Debbie McGee, the inheritance was a bittersweet outcome: enough to secure her future, but not enough to avoid a very public family rift. The legal lesson for anyone inheriting a loved one’s estate is clear: expect that debts and costs will reduce what you receive — sometimes by more than half.

For more details on his final illness, see his cause of death.

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