Dynamo is unrecognisable after sharing new photo while fighting Crohn's Disease

Steven Frayne aka Dynamo. (PA, Instagram)
Steven Frayne aka Dynamo. (PA, Instagram)

TV magician Dynamo shared a photo that many deem unrecognisable, after his ongoing battle with Crohn’s Disease.

The star, 35, has had the disease since he was a teen, but the recent effects – mainly physically but no doubt mentally – have shocked fans when he shared a new photo of his face that looks significantly different from the one people are used to seeing on TV.

Posting a picture titled ‘#NoFilter’, the magician wanted to share the effects of the inflammatory bowel disease with his followers, presumably to raise awareness and to update people on his health.

#NoFilter

A post shared by Dynamo Magician (@dynamomagician) on Mar 26, 2018 at 9:25am PDT

The response was overwhelmingly positive, as fans offered words of support to the sleight of hand celeb.

‘I feel for you sweet as a fellow sufferer. Be strong,’ one commenter said.

I know how it feels having Crohn’s myself. Chin up you’ll get through this!’ and, referring to the medication he was on,’ as another said: ‘Having Crohns myself I’ve been in this position a few times, the constant appetite feels so good hope you don’t need to stay on them too long though’.

The star revealed in a video that he’d been very ill last year after food poisoning saw him admitted to hospital. The combination of that with Crohn’s made it all a lot worse, leaving him with arthritis and with a pile of new pills to take.

Sufferers of Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis are often prescribed steroids when their condition flares up (meaning when they have a particularly bad spell of coping with their respective diseases). A course of steroids that can last several months significantly increase a patient’s appetite and also adds puffiness to a person’s face as a side effect from the medication’s intake.

Admittedly, the photo shows a significant change of face shape, but it can also drastically affect a sufferer’s overall weight, too. When flaring up, for example, a person can shed several lbs within days.

Steven Frayne aka Dynamo attending the premiere of Star Trek Beyond. (PA)
Steven Frayne aka Dynamo attending the premiere of Star Trek Beyond. (PA)

Dynamo, real name Steven Frayne, previously spoke to the Mirror about living with Crohn’s, saying it ‘is a trial but I am determined not to let it hold me back.’

‘If you’ve got Crohn’s then you just have to get on with it, deal with the negative things that come with it, and not let it change the happiness in your life. You can’t help it; it’s what it is.

‘It’s more about affecting the comfort levels of your life. It can be incredibly restrictive, and I know some people with it who can’t even leave the house. And that is so sad.’

More often than not, Crohn’s sufferers require surgery and a colostomy bag fitted and Dynamo revealed he almost needed to have that done when he was younger.

There was a time my life when I had to have an operation and I nearly died in hospital, and one of the options was to give me a colostomy bag. I was only 18 and at that age it would have been awful, I couldn’t have got my head space around it, but thankfully that wasn’t the case.’

Dynamo aka Steven Frayne attending BBC Radio 1’s Teen Awards, at the SSE Arena, Wembley, London. (PA)
Dynamo aka Steven Frayne attending BBC Radio 1’s Teen Awards, at the SSE Arena, Wembley, London. (PA)

Having grown up with the illness, he’d now have no problem having the surgery and a bag fitted if it improved his quality of life. Plus, he says his Gran has one and has learned to cope with it: ‘My grandma’s got one and she’s the coolest person on the planet. It doesn’t affect the person, it just affects their life. I’m fine with it.’

For more information on Crohn’s and Colitis, click here.

Read more:

Nick Knowles and DIY SOS to rebuild Grenfell Tower community space
ITV and This Morning launch male suicide prevention campaign
Simon Cowell is teaming up with the BBC for new dance reality show