We stood in the queue at the tiny booth. Would we buy the world-famous magician’s standard tour merchandise, or splash out on limited edition signed T shirts at £40 a piece? The staff were keen to sell us the latter, making reference to their rarity and long-term investment value.

What they didn’t appreciate, however, was that we personal friends of the performer and could ask for his autograph any day of the week. This international celebrity led a secret double life in Edinburgh as our good friend JM.