I am sitting here in my dressing room in panto in High Wycombe reflecting back on the last six months that have been a whirlwind. Since getting into the semi-finals of Britain's Got Talent in June my feet haven't touched the ground. I have only had about five days off. My life has changed dramatically and I am so incredibly grateful to Britain's Got Talent. I am having a ball in Pantoland working alongside the incredible Brendon Cole who is not only super talented but also such a good laugh... I'm loving it!

The first thing anyone asks me about BGT its what's Simon Cowell like. I have to say I was terrified of him and what he would say about me but he was so charming with a surprisingly naughty sense of humour. I loved the whole experience; the crew were amazing, making the contestants feel so relaxed and playing Hammersmith Apollo was a huge bonus.

Before BGT things weren't quite so marvellous. I had been the victim of a cowboy builder who had not only taken my life savings but also smashed my home to smithereens. I just couldn’t see a way out, but thanks to BGT I have managed to claw my out of debt and totally reboot my life.

I have been asked many times how I got into magic; well I always dreamed of being a comedy magician but there were just no female role models. This was mainly because women were not welcome in the magic community. Women were not allowed into the Magic Circle until 1991, 73 years after women were given the right to vote in this country.

I was the 13th woman to join the Magic Circle after it lifted the ban. However it was still not the most welcoming place; some men clearly didn't want us there. Some idiotic men didn't want women in because they thought we talk too much and wouldn't be able to keep secrets. To-date there have been magicians that have given the secrets of tricks away, but none of them have been women.

I am delighted to say that the Magic Circle has changed a lot during the years and we now have a fantastic forward-thinking president who is a great supporter of women. He has helped me a lot with my act, BGT auditions and the magic for panto.

Mandy Muden's Cunning Stunts will be at theatres around the UK from January 2019  - for ticket details www.mandymuden.com

For your chance to win a pair of tickets, enter Female First's competition by clicking here!

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