Magic Tricks are popular on television at the moment, with Dynamo, Ben Earle and now Ben Hanlin on ITV2. I watched magician Ben Hanlin’s show Tricked with interest as it was a hidden camera magic show. I took part in a hidden camera magic tv series a number of years ago, it was called Playing Tricks made by Endemol so I understand the issues and difficulties on creating this kind of a show successfully.

I have to say the magician Ben Hanlin and his team magic consultants Martyn Rowland and Nigel Meade have done an awesome job, it so far has been one of the best magic shows of it’s kind I have seen in many years! It is not easy to make me laugh but he really made me chuckle with some of the stunts he has pulled off and the audience reactions are fantastic, and I know first hand how difficult that can be in the UK. It is sometimes very difficult to get a reaction out of us Brits but magician Ben Hanlin and his team managed to get incredible reactions time and time again, makes for great TV viewing. Although I have to say my girlfriend thought that many of the tricks were a bit cruel on the subjects, personally I found them hilarious so I guess that says more about my evil streak then anything else!

The magic tricks in the show are also very strong, there is still an element I feel of not seeing the ‘whole picture’ at times but I guess that is the nature of TV magic these days and I don’t think that is ever going to change not nowadays anyway with the likes of youtube etc where you can watch a trick over and over again to work out how it is done.

magician ben hanlin

Magician Ben Hanlin’s personality is great, a really likable performer and very talented magician. He is refreshingly different to Dynamo and easy and more comfortable to watch in my opinion. Don’t get me wrong I think Dynamo is fab too in his own way I just thought the show flowed really well, cheerful funny and amazing whereas Dynamo’s is more about his story, image and amazed reactions.

I am looking forward to watching the rest of the TV show. Magician Ben Hanlin will go from strength to strength he has a very exciting career ahead of him and I look forward to seeing what he comes out with next!

By Keelan Leyser