World-renowned illusionist Derren Brown has announced a new podcast about the life of famous escapologist Harry Houdini to mark the 100th anniversary of his death on 31 October 2026.
The History Podcast: How Houdini Made Magic with Derren Brown will start airing on BBC Radio 4 at 1.5pm on Monday 19 October 2026 and will also be available on BBC Sounds.
Harry Houdini was born Erik Weisz in Budapest in 1874. He emigrated to the USA with his family as a child and, under the stage name Houdini, became an escapologist known for his daring stunts.
Derren Brown said: “Most people know Houdini as the man who escaped from handcuffs and water tanks, but the more deeply I explored his life, the more fascinating he became. He wasn't simply a magician or escapologist. He reinvented himself again and again, understood publicity better than almost anyone who came before him, and seemed to instinctively grasp many of the techniques that underpin modern fame. What emerges is a story that feels surprisingly contemporary, and one that says as much about our world as it does about Houdini's.”
