Derren Brown

Derren Brown is a famous English magician and mentalist. His fame began from the year 2000 with a series of specials called 'Mind Control'. He has since made a number of television shows, written various books, and conducted stage performances. Along with his interest in mentalism, Derren is also a keen painter and photographer. In being so knowledgeable about trickery, whether that be of the mind or of the senses, he has dabbled in debunking fraudulent claims of paranormal abilities. He has also conducted a séance which featured a number of techniques used by fraudulent psychic mediums. He does not possess any magical powers or psychic ability, regardless of his performances indicating the contrary. Derren Brown does not believe in the supernatural, but is intrigued by claims of it.

History

Derren Brown was born on the 27th of February 1971 in Purley, a town in the London Borough of Croydon, in England. His parents were Chris and Bob Brown, and he was the first of two children. His younger brother is called Dominic Brown. Derren was educated at Whitgift School, which is in South Croydon. Derren's dad was a swimming coach at this school. Derren then went on to study both law and the German language at the University of Bristol. While here, he found himself inspired when he saw Martin S. Taylor perform. Taylor was a hypnotist, and so Derren decided to pursue hypnosis as a career. During his undergraduate studies, Derren began working as a conjurer and performed close up magic tricks in bars and restaurants. This is when he spent lots of time developing his skills in magic and hypnosis. At the age of twenty-one, during the year of 1992 he started performing stage shows at the university under the stage name Derren V. Brown. The 'V' stood for 'Victor'.

As a teenager, Derren was an Evangelical Christian, but in his 20s he became an atheist. His study of the Bible and other Christian related texts couldn't answer the questions he had, and so he jumped to the conclusion that there was no basis for his belief in religion. However, despite being both atheist and skeptical of supernatural claims, he has said that disbelief can too often 'narrow into a rigid and negative approach which can fail to get it's message across. It can also disregard our vital search for meaning, which repeatedly trumps our need for truth'. After graduating from university, he continued developing his skills while living in Bristol for the next ten years in a small flat. It was during these ten years that he came to own a parrot and an overstuffed library. He also liked to wear a cloak, and suspects he was a 'bit of dick' at the time. Apparently he was a kleptomaniac during his youth and stole items from shops. He's mentioned in interviews that 'shoplifting is a natural attraction for magicians who are looking for methods to slip something into their pockets unseen'.

Some sources have said it was during 1992 that Derren made his TV debut, but this seems incorrect and the 1992 date is likely muddled with the date he first began performing shows. The correct date for his first TV debut is the December of the year 2000. By this time, Derren had met Jerry Sadowitz, a magician and comedian, at the International Magic Shop in Clerkenwell, London. Jerry put Derren in touch with H&R Publishers and Objective Productions. It was through these connections that Derren began his TV career with a series of specials called 'Mind Control' which was all launched by Objective Productions. 'Mind Control' was an instant success, and Derren went on to make many more TV programmes. Contradictory to this information, it's been said that Derren first gained fame with a special called 'Derren Brown's Trick of the Mind' which was a Channel 4 programme that aired during the year 2000. From what I can find, this all seems incorrect. 'Tricks of the Mind' is a book Derren Brown published during 2006, and IMBd lists 'Derren Brown: Trick of the Mind' as a TV series dating back to 2004.

Regarding the dates of Derren Brown's TV involvement, it seems like there are a few incorrect dates. For instance, I've found that 'The Heist' was a TV special that won a royal television society award in 2003. This is incorrect as IMDb lists the programme as having first aired during 2006. It's also been said that 'Fear and Faith' had two series which aired during 2003 and 2004. IMDb contradicts this by saying it was a TV mini-series which first aired during 2012. It's also been said that 'Mind Control' aired in 2002, and in reality this aired in the December of the year 2000. 'Trick of the Mind' aired during 2004 and it's been said that this show won two baftas during 2006 and 2007.

I've also found that during 2005 he presented 'Derren Brown versus the devil' and that during 2006 he won two baftas for 'the works'. The categories were for best entertainment performance and best television or radio commercial. He is also said to have taken part in a celebrity version of 'the colour of money' for the NSPCC. It's also said on the 10th of June 2006 he made a four minute appearance on Children In Need when he performed a mentalism routine involving Paul Merton and Johnny Vaughan. Apparently on the 20th of October 2006 he appeared as himself in 'extras' where he was interviewed by Ricky Gervais about a new TV special 'Killer Karaoke'. It's important to say at this point that I highly doubt the validity regarding this TV information. For anything where I've said something like 'apparently' or 'it's said that', it's best to not take this information as accurate. Anything dubious has all come from the 'Jon Finch Magician' source which I will link at the end of this article. I have included it here to highlight what's being said online that may be incorrect.

Apparently during the November of 2006 Derren also presented a one-off 50th anniversary edition of 'Magic Mystery' where famous tricks and illusions from the past were recreated with modern technology to show how they were done during that time period. This show was apparently nominated for best tv special at the British academy television awards. It's also said that during the September of 2008 'The Experiments' first aired. IMDb lists this programme as having first aired during 2011. Apparently this programme was an experiment in psychology that investigated how people related to their environment through their senses and emotions. This source has also said 'Derren Brown: Apocalypse' aired during the November of 2010, but IMDb lists this as having first aired during 2012. It has also been said that 'Derren Brown: Apocalypse' was his first American TV project and that it tested the mind's willingness to trust or betray an individual based on certain situations. During this segment, the source contradicts itself and says it aired during the April of 2008. Again, it seems 2012 is the correct year.

This source has also said he appeared during a Doctor Who episode titled 'The Doctor's Wife' during the August of 2011. Not only is the air date wrong as it actually aired on the 14th of May 2011, but I can't find any evidence of him having appeared in Doctor Who at all. However, Derren has apparently been mentioned a number of times in Doctor Who related media. This source has also said Derren first stated his interest in paranormal investigations while presenting Apocalypse live at the Royal Albert Hall on the 28th of March 2013. Apparently he said he would like to investigate it further if conditions would allow it. Again this seems incorrect as I have found no further evidence of this performance having occured.

Another seemingly false piece of information is regarding something incredibly serious, which is why I have to point it out here. The 'Jon Finch Magician' source has said thst during the December of 2009, Derren was accused of being responsible for the death of a man during a performance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It continues by saying Michael Smiley died in his home in Edinburgh seven days after being admitted to hospital with an undisclosed illness. He had bought a ticket to see the show 'The Imposter' and later claimed it left him ill. Apparently during the January of 2010 Derren was cleared of blame as the jury concluded there was a chance that Mr. Smiley would have died regardless of seeing the show. I have found no evidence aside this one source, which has been seemingly incorrect about a number of things, that these events ever took place.

This source has also said that during 2015, Derren was named as one of the Sunday Times 100 most influential people in the UK. The source also lists a number of books which Derren Brown has written, and these do all exist. These books are 'Pure Effect', 'Absolute Magic', 'Tricks of the Mind', 'Confessions of a Conjuror', 'A Book of Secrets', 'Portraits', 'Happy', 'A Little Happier', and 'Meet The People With Love'. Some of these books are geared towards the general public, some are aimed at magicians, and others contain his artwork and photography.

It's been said that Derren Brown is considered a leading figure in the field of mentalism and psychological illusion. During the May of 2004, Channel 4 aired 'Derren Brown: Séance'. This demonstrated various methods which were used by victorian spiritualists. This was conducted in an old hospital in East London, and he begun by explaining to volunteers from Roehampton University that the halls had a history of paranormal activity following the suicide pact of twelve people during 1974. At the time it was the most complained about TV programme in history as it recieved 487 complaints. Derren has won Olivier Awards for 'Something Wicked This Way Comes', which aired during 2006, and 'Svengali', which aired during 2012. Other famous stage shows of his include 'Infamous', 'Enigma', and 'An Evening Of Wonders'.

Derren revolutionised the art of mentalism as he lifted it out of a traditional format and into a new concept of exciting entertainment. His performances, as shown during the séance, can often expose faith healers and psychic mediums. The performances are also demonstrations of psychology, intuition, hypnosis, memory techniques, interpretation of body language, suggestion, misdirection, slight of hand, and showmanship. It's thought that he has developed techniques that explore the traits and characteristics of participants by looking into their personalities. It's also thought that he taps into their emotions. Derren Brown can apparently quote whole pages from a dictionary and can duplicate a secret drawing almost immediately after it has been drawn while unseen. There is also a rumour that Derren has been banned from all casinos in Britain as they fear he will read the cards. I have found that apparently some casinos do welcome the publicity he brings to them.

In an interview from 2007, Derren said he was gay and has talked openly about his sexuality in other interviews. During 2011, he said he is happily in a relationship. Derren is also a patron of the Parrot Zoo Trust in Eastern Lincolnshire, England. He has said he is a big fan of parrots, and owns one along with two dogs. He also collects taxidermy and can play the ukulele. It has been said he wants to play the piano, but another source has said he can play the piano; perhaps he has learned how to play since one source was written. He also collects vintage magic memorabilia and admires the magicians Penn and Teller. Another detail I've found is that Derren is scared of heights and is scared of dying a slow death after falling from a height.

It was during 2016 that 'Derren Brown's Ghost Train' opened at Thorpe Park. This was after Derren spent three years in collaboration with the park designing an immersive ghost train. This ride blended 4D, grand illusion, live action, and special effects. At the time it was the most expensive and the most ambitious attraction that the park had ever offered. During 2017, the ride received a slight adjustment as it became 'Derren Brown's Ghost Train: Rise of the Demon'. This experience has been said to be darker and more tense than the ride's previous iteration. As I have never visited Thorpe Park myself, and so have never experienced this ride; I reached out to theme park enthusiast Sean Evans, who runs the YouTube channel 'Lift Hills and Thrills', for a quote about Derren Brown's Ghost Train. Sean provided the following statement:

"I always found Derren Brown's Ghost Train to be a real exploration of the unknown, incorporating a variety of techniques to unnerve and to scare you. Sadly, whilst detailed and immersive to a degree the ride had fundamental issues with the use of VR headsets. Many experiences would be dampened by the use of these headsets as uncalibrated visuals and blurry re-used devices certainly detached you from the experience as opposed to immersing you within it."

Riders of Derren Brown's Ghost Train would see a large victorian train carriage suspended in the air, and they would then be treated to a virtual reality experience within the carriage along with other surprises. The ride did lose the Derren Brown brand and was renamed as 'Ghost Train'. It also ditched the VR aspect. Apparently, Derren would occasionally go on his ghost train at Thorpe Park while in disguise, and he enjoyed upsetting children.

During 2010, the TV programme 'Derren Brown Investigates' aired. This programme looked into extraordinary claims around the world, including those of ghosts and mediums. This is one of many times Derren has looked into these topics. In the programme 'Secrets of the Paranormal World', the validity and existence of the paranormal was explored through experiments such as demon summoning, séances, and talking board rituals. This programme featured both Derren Brown and Uri Geller. Richard Dawkins, a renowned evolutionary biologist, interviewed Derren for his two part documentary 'The Enemies of Reason'. Dawkins' documentary sought to expose subjects such as mediumship, acupuncture, and psychokinesis. 'The Science of Scams' was a web-based Channel 4 series where a number of videos were placed on YouTube showing various kinds of paranormal phenomena such as ghosts, telekinesis, and tarot card reading. In a second series of videos, Derren's co-presenter Kat Akingbade explained what was really happening in the videos. Through this, each video which seemed real was exposed as a scam.

As mentioned briefly earlier, Derren has done a number of stage shows. During 2017, his US debut show 'SECRET' won the New York Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience. He has toured with eight sell-out one-man stage shows, and is the first to do this in the history of magic. His shows have gained a record-breaking five Olivier Award nominations for Best Entertainment and they won twice. He has had the largest number of nominations and wins for one-person shows in the history of the Olivier Awards. During 2019, he returned to the US for a sell-out run on Broadway. He doesn't use stooges or plants to achieve his work, and the participants in his TV programmes are genuine in their obliviousness to the magic.

During the February of 2021, Derren appeared in a trailer for the horror game 'Little Nightmares II' in which he narrated game footage while describing the nature of nightmares. He is also set to appear in the Simpson for an episode airing on the 17th of December 2024. Also during 2024, he announced a live tour for 2025 called 'Only Human'. One of his most successful TV performances saw him telling several members of the public, over a few weeks, that he had a foolproof system of choosing the winners of horse races. He then influenced them to bet large sums of money on the system. This was based on a confidence trick where Brown used different people to cover all possible outcomes.

Brown has also convinced a group of pensioners to steal an expensive painting which was owned by a noted art dealer collector. This theft occured while Derren told the collector the exact date and time the painting would be stolen, and the pensioners succeeded. In America, Derren convinced five leading figures that he had powers in their particular fields of expertise. These fields were Christian evangelism, alien abduction, psychic powers, new age theories, and spirit communication. He has also successfully eliminated a person's phobia of flying to the point where they were willing to take control of an aircraft when it was suggested the pilot was incapacitated.

One of his more controversial performances involved him playing a game of Russian Roulette. This performance made some claim Derren was against gun control and they said the act tempted people with suicidal tendencies. He has also predicted the National Lottery and hypnotised a man to assassinate Stephen Fry. In the UK, his name is now pretty much synonymous with the art of psychological manipulation. Derren is extremely open about his dishonesty and performances. He has said:

"I am often dishonest in my techniques, but always honest about my dishonesty. As I say in each show, I mix magic, suggestion, psychology, misdirection, and showmanship. I happily admit cheating, as it's part of the game. I hope some of the fun for the viewer comes from not knowing what is real and what isn't. I am an entertainer first and foremost and careful not to cross any moral line that would take me into manipulating people's real life decisions or beliefs."

As mentioned earlier, Derren also likes to paint and do photography. He paints portraits and occasionally exhibits them. 'Portraits', his book of his caricatures, was published by Channel 4 Books during 2009. A selection of his original pieces and limited time prints are available to buy online, and they can cost £1000. Regarding his photos, they are featured in his book 'Meet The People With Love'. Many of his photos are also available to buy, and these can cost £150. His photos have been exhibited in London, and he maintains an online gallery on Instagram.

More general information about Derren includes that he dislikes mushrooms and blue cheese. Also, he can't drive and loves classical music. He reads extensively about philosophy, existentialism, and psychology. Regarding his belief in the supernatural, he has said the following:

"I have no belief in the supernatural or anything like that. I definitely wouldn't go and see a medium... I think they're a pretty unpleasant lot, really... I think there's a lot of well-meaning people who genuinely believe they're psychic, and genuinely believe still they can help people... but there's a slippery slope to people who are just kind of manipulative, and in it for the worst reasons... in the moment if you're there, and you're vulnerable, and you're looking for an answer it can be convincing - and then it might even be helpful for some people - but that's very different from it being real."

My Thoughts

I want to start this segment by reiterating the point I made earlier about the information provided about various television projects by the Jon Finch Magician source. Most of the information detailed on that website seems incorrect. I have done my best here to point out the particular things which are wrong, and to correct them, but some may have slipped through the cracks. This source will be listed in the sources at the end if you want to read through it yourself to be sure on what is likely incorrect.

As for my thoughts on Derren Brown; I was expecting to find more of a general involvement with debunking and investigating the paranormal rather than it all being for TV purposes. A good example of what I expected is something akin to James Randi's feud with Uri Geller. I wasn't expecting Derren to have been sued, but I was expecting for sources to list particular cases he has worked to debunk. I haven't looked further into the TV programmes where he may do this because I will likely write seperate articles on those. The important thing for this article was not so much to document specific debunks or investigations, but rather to document the man that is Derren Brown; therefore his career, his achievements, and his life story.

I think it's important for people such as Derren to be highlighted for their debunking work, especially today, as the public can be too trusting. Particular instances of this can be seen when it comes to certain TV programmes or YouTube channels. I know debunkers have been referenced by some people as untrustworthy and as toxic; so highlighting respected debunkers in the mainstream such as Derren Brown, or older names such as Harry Houdini, I feel will help debunking emerge from what can be a negative light.

Thank You!

Thank you for reading this article! Again, apologies from the muddy information provided by that one source, but I hope the rest is accurate. I also want to give an extra mention to Saun Evans from Lift Hills and Thrills. It's amazing that he took the time to provide his quote for this article, so if you're reading this: thank you! I highly recommend his YouTube channel if you're interested in the theme park industry. He does vlogs, news videos, and sometimes mixes things up with mini-golf, funfairs, and scare attractions. It's great content which is both humorous and honest, so please go and support his channel if you aren't already doing. If you want to watch his content, please click the link below:

Lift Hills and Thrills YouTube Channel

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Sources I Have Used

1. Lift Hills and Thrills Website

2. Jon Finch Magician

3. Derren Brown

4. Totally History

5. Magic Tricks For Kids

6. Campaign Mastery

7. Derren Brown: Séance

8. The Guardian

9. People

10. Champions

11. i news