Discover the Best Books Written by Derren Brown

Derren began his UK television career in December 2000 with a series of specials called Mind Control. In the UK, his name is now pretty much synonymous with the art of psychological manipulation. Amongst a varied and notorious TV career, Derren has played Russian Roulette live, convinced middle managers to commit armed robbery, led the nation in a séance, stuck viewers at home to their sofas, successfully predicted the National Lottery, motivated a shy man to land a packed passenger plane at 30,000 feet, hypnotized a man to assassinate Stephen Fry, and created a zombie apocalypse for an unsuspecting participant after seemingly ending the world. 

He has also written several best-selling books and – a first in the history of magic – has toured with eight sell-outs one-man stage shows. The shows have garnered a record-breaking five Olivier Award nominations for Best Entertainment and won twice. This means Derren has had the largest number of nominations and wins for one-person shows in the history of the Awards.

His 2017 US debut show, SECRET, won the New York Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience and returned for a sell-out run on Broadway in 2019. He does not have magical powers or psychic ability, and neither does he ever use stooges or plants to achieve his work. The unwitting participants in his TV projects are entirely genuine (and entirely unwitting).

At home, Derren is a quiet 50-year old who paints, collects taxidermy, and keeps two (real) dogs and a parrot. He dislikes mushrooms and blue cheese, can’t drive and wishes he could play the piano.

When he gets the chance, Derren paints portraits and occasionally exhibits. ‘Portraits’ (a book of his caricatures) was published by Channel 4 Books in 2009. Derren is also a keen photographer. A collection of his pictures is available in Derren’s book Meet The People With Love, and many are available for purchase in our Print Store. His pictures have been exhibited in London, and he maintains an online gallery on Instagram.