Circus of Horrors’ ringmaster Doktor Haze from Preston dies after battle with cancer

The former Preston schoolboy, who co-founded the most shocking and longest-running alternative circus in Britain, passed away at the weekend after losing his battle with cancer.

Real name John Hayes Mabley, the son of a lion tamer was brought up in Preston - attending Savick County Primary and Tulketh High School and living in Barry Avenue, Ingol - before joining his dad in the big top. He performed as a fire-eater and a sword swallower before running away from the circus to pursue a music career.

Heavily influenced by T-Rex singer Marc Bolan, he formed a band called One Thing and began introducing circus and horror elements into his stage act in the 1980s. He launched Circus of Horrors with Gerry Cottle in 1995 and the pair brought together a bizarre collection of acts to form what Britain's Got Talent judge Amanda Holden once described as "like Rocky Horror on acid."

John, an avid Preston North End fan, explained: "My dad was a lion trainer. I ran away from the circus to have a bash at rock'n'roll and the Circus of Horrors is an amalgamation of all that.”

The Circus of Horrors made its debut at the 1995 Glastonbury Festival and in almost three decades since then the show has travelled the globe, performing in places including Japan, Hong Kong, Chile, Argentina and Russia, where one shocked politician called for them to be banned.

In 2004 John brought the circus to Preston for the first time, a year after the Guild Hall had turned it down as "unsuitable." At the time he told the Post: "Until now we have been able to play everywhere in the world except my own home town. The nature of the act is quite bizarre, but it is basically a tongue-in-cheek rock ‘n’ roll show. I am delighted as I have always wanted to play to a home crowd."

The performance that year included Belinda the bearded woman, Garry Stretch, the world's stretchiest man and Wasp Boy with his 18-inch waist, who could swallow six swords simultaneously before twisting them inside his stomach. And then there was a woman who could fit in a bottle 18 inches in diameter and 2ft 6in high.

After being thrust in to the limelight with TV appearances on the Jerry Springer Show, Graham Norton, Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway and a Royal Variety Performance with Robbie Williams, the circus went from strength to strength. On stage it was billed as "not suitable for chavs, sissies, closed-minded bigots and people of a nervous disposition."

Circus of Horrors shared the stage with some music legends over the years including Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Motorhead and Aerosmith, as well as The Foo Fighters, Oasis and Eminem.

And in a departure from the stage John stood as an independent candidate for a seat in Brighton in the June 2017 General Election. Part of his manifesto was making Halloween a national holiday, the abolition of party whips in Parliament – they should only be used in fetish clubs, he said – and a new law saying people who wear T-shirts sporting the name of a band should have to own at least four of their albums.

Since news of John's death was revealed, fans and fellow circus performers have taken to social media with tributes.

Circus Cortex wrote: "RIP Dr Haze, we are so sad to lose a great friend, colleague and great artist. The creator of Circus of Horrors, who we worked with for many years. You will be missed and remembered in our hearts."

A performer known as jimbam said: "Saddened by your loss guys. I am gutted I never got to witness his madness as he got ill the tour we went on." Sacha_quiz_cross messaged: "Well well well. The passing of a great man, the greatest showman since Gerry Cottle, went yesterday to join him. What a man he was. From massive T-Rex fan to King of a Rock’n’Roll circus, from Preston to Japan, many thought the Circus of Horrors would last 28 weeks, but they’re still here on their 28th year. He may have been an evil ringmaster, but he was a really friendly charming guy who was very into his stuff."

And iamaxlonline said: "Doctor Haze has been an inspirational and iconic force to me since my family first discovered the @circusofhorrorsofficial in 2009. Over the years we have seen his shows many times, singing and rocking along to the freak show. His genius will be forever. The circus of horrors will never be the same without him. I will attend one more tour in his memory to sing one last time. Rock on John Haze RIP."