This note is about a historical figure named Martin Portlock, who is often referred to as "Martin the Witch." Martin Portlock was a man accused of witchcraft during the Salem witch trials, which took place in colonial Massachusetts in the late 17th century. The witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft, based on superstitions and religious beliefs of the time. Martin Portlock was arrested and accused of practicing witchcraft, along with numerous other individuals during this time period. The trials were characterized by mass hysteria and paranoia, with many innocent people being wrongfully accused and executed. The accusations were often based on unfounded rumors and testimonies from unreliable witnesses.
Dad who conjured up media frenzy playing BGT's the Witch 'kicking himself' for staying anonymous as he 'missed fame'
A dad who conjured up a media frenzy on Britain's Got Talent playing The Witch admits he is 'kicking himself' for staying anonymous - as he was unable to lap up the fame others did. Martin Portlock both horrified and delighted audiences with his super-creepy performances that famously had judges Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon squealing and fleeing their seats.
One famous appearance saw him ask Amanda to put her hand into a box with a rat inside it after one of her biggest fears was revealed to be rodents. The dad-of-two was forced to step into the shoes of a previous performer who was unable to continue the role in the 2022 semi-final and also returned for the show's 'Ultimate Magician' series.
Despite being no stranger to performing, the 41-year-old actor was forced to roll up his sleeves and go through magician training to ensure he was up to scratch too. In addition to his gruelling magical training, Martin had to endure four hours in the make-up chair having prosthetics fitted - and another hour peeling them off when it was over.
One famous appearance saw him ask Amanda to put her hand into a box with a rat inside it after one of her biggest fears was revealed to be rodents (Image: Kennedy News and Media)
To further add to the mystique of the character, Martin chose to hide his true identity - a decision he ultimately came to regret and says he 'punched himself' over the move. He also offered some advice to terrified judge Amanda Holden - urging her to 'know her fears'.
Martin, from Ellesmere, Shropshire, said: "I didn't want to say who I was as it takes something away from the performance, it takes the magic away. I had to bite my tongue for quite a while as all the shows were going on. That was kind of a personal choice because it added energy to the Witch and the character and the mystery.
"But at the same time, it was horrible because you see all of these contestants coming through and they get that recognition. Acting is a hard profession, especially when it comes to recognition.
"When I was backstage I was punching myself thinking 'what am I doing? No-one knows who I am. What's the point of doing this?' I had to bite my tongue for quite a while as all the shows were going on."
Despite being unable to lap up the media attention, Martin did disclose to close friends and family that he was the man behind the prosthetic mask. Martin said: "I had close friends and family that knew I was doing it – people that I knew I could trust. They're your rocks.
"But I did have a lot of friends who I couldn't tell that I was doing it because friends tell friends. I had to be very tight-lipped about it."
Hiding his identity wasn't the only hardship Martin was facing while on the show, he and his partner also endured several 'life struggles' at the same time. Martin said: "While I was doing The Witch we were struggling with IVF and had several life struggles, including the loss of a family member, so that was another emotional challenge to go through while I was trying to do this immense stage show.
"Just before you walk onto stage, you have to put all of that emotion and everything you're struggling with into a box and leave it on the side of the stage, and then walk out and just be that character."
The brains behind The Witch were Shaune and Paula Harrison from The Prosthetics Studio, who have done the prosthetics for huge film franchises such as Harry Potter and Star Wars. Shaune and Paula reached out to Martin to play The Witch after the original actor, who doesn't want to share their identity, couldn't continue playing the role.
Martin said: "They explained to me that the person who did the original Witch in the audition couldn't continue to do it. So they were stuck. They got the four yeses and they got through to the semi-final, so they asked me to do it and I was just like, wow, this is big news."
The judges were branded 'wonderful' by Martin, with special praise given to Amanda for fearfully taking part in his spooky routine. Martin said: "Amanda's an absolutely fantastic sport and Alesha was wonderful. In fact, they were all wonderful.
"All I would say to Amanda is 'know your fears darling, and grow stronger from them'."
BGT star 'nearly died' backstage in unaired clip and says he was 'almost strangled'
Britain’s Got Talent’s infamous contestant The Witch has revealed he almost died while backstage but it was never shown on TV.
Actor Martin Portlock recently declared that he was the man behind the scary costume, over a year after appearing on the hit ITV show.
Martin also revived his petrifying yet popular character for the spin-off, Britain’s Got Talent: The Ultimate Magician, which aired last year December.
However, Martin claims that during the spin-off show he came face to face with death when he tried to handle a snake backstage.
Actor Martin Portlock claimed he almost died backstage (Image: ITV)Read More
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He told The Sun: "One thing you didn’t see on TV was that I nearly died.
"I did this performance where a snake comes out of this teddy bear, and when I was backstage, I tried to handle the snake, who was called Kevin, for the first time.
"Now, I'm not an animal handler, and this thing came up to me and it absolutely loved the heat of my neck. The next thing I know, this massive snake coiled itself right around my neck and went so tight, I was almost strangled."
Martin, 41, took on the role for the BGT semi-finals after the original actor- who still chooses to remain anonymous - pulled out after the audition.
Martin took on the role after the original actor pulled out (Image: ITV)The star also went on to reveal that keeping his identity a secret became a huge task and only a few producers knew who he really was.
After Martin's first appearance on the show, many fans speculated who could be behind the garish costume with many attaching famous faces such as Stephen Mulhern or Keith Lemon to the character.
Martin confirmed that he took on the role of the character on Instagram earlier this month.
Martin left viewers terrified on the show (Image: Dymond/Thames/REX/Shutterstock)He wrote: "Feel free to share. It's no longer a secret. So… one year ago today I performed on stage for television. Although it's been a bit of a secret for the past year, my identity as 'The Witch' was unknown!
"I can now confirm that The Witch on Britain's Got Talent 2022 WAS ME! I am an actor here in the U.K.
"I performed in front of 4000 people at the London, Hammersmith Apollo Theatre, live on national television for ITV in the semi-finals and again in Manchester as the finale for the Christmas special 'The Ultimate Magician'. I hope you all liked the performances."
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Britain's Got Talent's The Witch's identity finally revealed a year after show
One year on since terrifying the Britain's Got Talent judges, the true identity of The Witch has finally been revealed to viewers.
The act reached the semi-finals of the show's 15th series in 2022 and captivated not only viewers but also Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon.
And the real person behind the scary mask has now been revealed by magician Marc Spellman. Dubbed as the 'scariest act ever', Marc, who has also appeared on the show, explained on YouTube that it was an "incredible actor called Martin Portlock."
When asked why Martin couldn't revealed it was him in the costume until now, Marc continued: "He [Martin] was sworn to secrecy too, he couldn't tell anybody that he was the witch."
Magician Marc Spellman revealed the identity of The Witch (Image: YOUTUBE)Read More
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Later on in the YouTube video Martin himself then popped up on screen, and said: "Hi Marc, how you doing Spellman? Although the Witch was a bit of an unusual character, no one really knew who it was."
"I hear that everyone thought it was you! I hope you and the family are well on that side and the beautiful heat, it's a bit too hot for my liking."
Marc then replied with huge praise for the act: "I really think Martin deserves huge credit and recognition for being such an iconic character as the witch on Britain's Got Talent.
The Witch terrified both the judges and viewers"A character that we will never forget and I don't think Amanda will ever forget either. Apparently she's still in therapy."
BGT fans will also remember that there was speculation that it was actually Marc behind The Witch costume as he appeared on the show with prosthetics in 2018 and later as act 'X' in 2019.
One viewer tweeted: "Anyone else think the Witch is Marc Spelmann? It could be his third attempt at BGT."
Fans had theories on who was behind the mask (Image: ITV)But other viewers had their own theories and guessed it was a famous face behind the mask, with speculation including television presenter Stephen Mulhern or comedian Keith Lemon.
However, other viewers were convinced The Witch was BGT host Declan Donnelly and one posted: "Deffo him, the eyes are exactly the same."
While another commented: "I said it straight away and obviously the creepy crawlies from the apples represent I'm a Celebrity. Get Me Out Of Here!"
The accusations were often based on unfounded rumors and testimonies from unreliable witnesses. Martin Portlock was known for his eccentric and mysterious personality, which led to suspicion among the community. He was seen as an outsider and was often associated with unconventional behaviors and practices.
These factors, combined with the prevailing belief in witches and supernatural powers, made him an easy target for the accusations of witchcraft. During the trials, Martin Portlock maintained his innocence, but this did not prevent him from being found guilty and sentenced to death. He, along with many others, was executed by hanging or pressing, a form of torture in which heavy stones were placed on the accused until they confessed or died. The Salem witch trials represent a dark chapter in American history, characterized by injustice and fear. The trials were later recognized as a tragic mistake, and many of the accused were posthumously exonerated. Martin Portlock's story serves as a reminder of the dangers of mass hysteria and the importance of fair and just legal systems. His wrongful conviction and execution highlight the tragic consequences of prejudice and superstition. Despite the lack of concrete evidence against him, Martin Portlock became a victim of the witch trials, losing his life due to the collective fear and ignorance of the society in which he lived..
Reviews for "Martin Portlock: A Witch's Tale from the Salem Trials"
1. Karen Smith - 1/5 stars: I found "Martin Portlock the Witch" to be incredibly boring and predictable. The storyline was lackluster and the characters were one-dimensional. The writing style felt amateurish and uninspiring. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to others.
2. John Johnson - 2/5 stars: "Martin Portlock the Witch" had an interesting concept, but it failed to deliver on its potential. The pacing was slow, and there were too many unnecessary subplots that added nothing to the main story. The characters were underdeveloped and lacked depth, making it hard to feel invested in their journey. I was hoping for a thrilling and engaging read, but unfortunately, this book fell short for me.
3. Emily Thompson - 1/5 stars: I could not finish "Martin Portlock the Witch" as it was poorly written and confusing. The plot was fragmented and disjointed, making it hard to follow the story. The dialogue was stilted and unnatural, making it difficult to connect with the characters. This book felt like a chore to read, and I would not recommend it to anyone looking for a well-crafted and coherent narrative.
4. David Adams - 2/5 stars: "Martin Portlock the Witch" had an interesting premise, but the execution was lacking. The writing style was inconsistent, jumping between overly descriptive passages and choppy dialogue. The pacing was off, with long stretches of nothing happening interspersed with rushed action scenes. While the concept had potential, the execution left much to be desired, and I was left feeling underwhelmed by the end.
5. Samantha Wilson - 1/5 stars: I found "Martin Portlock the Witch" to be a tedious and unengaging read. The writing was dry and devoid of emotion, making it difficult to connect with the characters or care about their journey. The plot was predictable and lacked originality, failing to hold my interest. Overall, this book felt like a wasted opportunity for an intriguing story, and I would not recommend it to others.