ITV Royal Variety star Teller explains real reason he doesn't speak

Legendary musicians Penn and Teller have made a huge name with their double act, performing together since the 80s. The stars, who will be performing in front of King Charles in The Royal Variety Performance tonight, are well known for their unique dynamic, where Teller remains mute while Penn does all the talking.

It has left many people wondering over the years if Teller actually cannot speak. But during a Huffington Post interview, Penn Jillette elaborated on the reason behind his stage partner's silence, which wasn't his idea.

"I get no credit or blame for Teller not speaking," Penn stated. "Teller speaks very well, but he decided to work silently in magic, because he was working rough environments where he was apt to be heckled. And Teller just thought if he was quiet, they'd grow weary of heckling him."

Read more Why Royal Variety magician Penn Jillette paints his left-hand ring finger red

Teller himself explained that he just wanted to avoid attention on stage, telling NPR: "I was playing fraternity parties at Amherst College, where I went. And I am a small man of not particularly imposing proportions or voice.

"And if I had tried to assert myself over a room full of drunken kids groping their dates and drinking beer, they would not have paid any attention to me. So I found that if I turned off all the lights except for a few lawn spotlights that I carried with me and put them on me, and then did creepy things like swallowing razor blades... I found that when I did that sort of thing, they paid attention to me in a way that if I had tried to assert myself over them, they wouldn't have. It sort of undercut any kind of heckling."

Teller once also spoke about how he feels his silence enhances his act. He said: "A lot of people who don't speak onstage in magic blast the audience with music that is loaded with all sorts of emotions. I think that's cheating.

"And by stripping away music, by stripping away speech, there is a level of intimacy that I feel with the audience that is deep. It's very deep."