Stephen Mulhern says classic 1954 book turned hit film series 'left him cold'

Stephen Mulhern, the cherished television personality adored for his rapid-fire wit and enchanting magic tricks, has become a fixture in many British homes through his appearances on fan favourites such as Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, Catchphrase, and Britain's Got More Talent.

The 48-year-old rose to fame fueled by his love for magic, and he continued to captivated audiences during the '90s, initially appearing on the Disney Channel and later joining CITV. Here, he formed a memorable presenting duo with Holly Willoughby on Saturday Showdown. The on-screen star has a recurring role on ITV's Deal Or No Deal and replaced Phillip Schofield on Dancing On Ice.

In a candid interview the presenter admitted the one book he is not particularly interested and it may surprise you.

Stephen admitted that while he attempted to give it a go, he gave up reading J.R.R. Tolkien's 1954 classic Lord of the Rings.

Speaking to Daily Mail, when asked which book "left him cold," he revealed: "The Lord Of The Rings - it wasn't my cup of tea.

"I love the fact that there are so many different kinds of books to discover - there really is something for everyone. But for me, humour and mysteries will always be top of the pile."

The novel, set in the Third Age of Middle-earth, formed a sequel to Tolkien's The Hobbit (1937) and was succeeded by his posthumous The Silmarillion (1977). The Lord of the Rings is the saga of a group of sometimes reluctant heroes who set forth to save their world from consummate evil.

The popular fictional book series was turned into a hit film in December 10, 2001.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring starred Elijah Wood, who played Frodo Biggins and Ian McKellen as Gandalf.

The movies were followed by The Two Towers in 2002 and The Return of the King in 2003.