Do you believe in magic? Well I've just discovered there's really no such thing. And it was a real live magician called Ali Bongo who told me so.
Besides being a performing magician, Ali is the magical adviser for various television programmes, including Thames' series Ace Of Wands.
Tarot, the magician in Ace Of Wands, is a sort of 20th-century Robin Hood, Merlin and Houdini rolled into one. He uses his magical skills to help solve all the mysteries.
Michael Mackenzie, who plays Tarot, was trained by Ali for the series.
"We did all kinds of things from sleight of hand and escapology to hypnosis and telepathy," he said. "You have to be a special kind of person to learn how to be a magician, before you can make other people believe in what you are doing, you have to believe in it yourself."
Ali taught Michael how to produce doves from nowhere, to change a cane into a string of beads and a handkerchief into a cane.
Ali is a member of the Inner Magic Circle, which is one of the highes degrees a magician can earn.
"It's a long training," Ali explains. "You have to know about chemicals, electricity, lighting, mechanics and music. You need an analytical mind to understand how things work."
In Ace Of Wands, Ali had to teach Tarot how to stick swords into Lulli who is played by actress Judy Loe.
"I'm not going to tell you how it's done," he said. "But it isn't even the least bit dangerous. You'd be surprised how easy it is to convince the majority of people of magic."
The article was accompanied by a photograph of Michael and Ali, captioned: Magical education for Michael Mackenzie (left) from expert adviser Ali Bongo.