“I wasn't terribly sociable. I had two or three friends at school. I drew things, played with Lego. My parents left me free to do whatever made me happy.”

English mentalist, illusionist, and writer

Derren Brown is an English mentalist, illusionist, and writer. He describes himself as a psychological illusionist, and has built his reputation on stage performances that mix psychology, showmanship, magic, misdirection, suggestion, audience participation, and comedy. His work often targets people who claim supernatural abilities, including faith healers and mediums, with acts designed to show how such claims can be produced. In his live shows, he also explains that his effects come from performance craft rather than paranormal power.