His mind control tricks have made him a controversial TV star in the UK.
And psychological illusionist Derren Brown makes his US debut with a Netflix special this month which explores how social pressures and authority figures can be used to manipulate a person into committing murder.
In The Push, which originally aired in the UK in 2016, Brown uses a team of actors to interact with and enmesh a subject in a ‘web of lies’ and try to convince him, eventually, to push a man off the roof of a building.
Controversial: Derren Brown makes his US debut with a Netflix special this month called The Push which explores whether a person can be manipulated into committing murder
Feeling the heat: The trailer shows the subject (business owner Chris Kingston) – who is unaware he is being filmed – surrounded by actors as he’s exposed to high stress situations
‘I need him to feel like there’s only one way out when he’s told to commit murder,’ Brown says in the official trailer released this week.
‘The question we’re asking is simple: Can we be manipulated through social pressure to commit murder?’ the 46-year-old hypnotist continues.
The trailer shows the subject (business owner Chris Kingston) – who is unaware he is being filmed – surrounded by actors as he’s exposed to high stress situations.
‘This show is about how readily we hand over authorship of our lives every day,’ Brown says.
Will he do it? The show will eventually see Chris being told to push a living man off a roof terrace
Think fast: Chris is put through his paces as he finds himself faced with a series of tough decisions
Scary stuff: The show, which originally aired in the UK in 2016, explores how social pressures and authority figures can be used to manipulate a person into committing murder
‘Can social compliance be used to make someone push a living, breathing human being to their death?’
Unsurprisingly there have been mixed reactions to the show, which will be available to stream on February 27, on Twitter.
‘So this new reality show on Netflix where a professional manipulator tries to convince someone to do a murder looks deeply troubling.’ one person tweeted.
‘I have some pretty serious concerns about this. I mean, Derren Brown’s no idiot, but…’ tweeted user @SusanArendt.
While another less than enthusiastic response came from @BethElderkin who wrote: ‘Reality TV continues to be a mistake.’
‘When confronted with authority, our natural instinct is to unflinchingly obey without question’ reads Netflix’ description of the special
‘This show is about how readily we hand over authorship of our lives every day,’ Brown says
Another Twitter user was excited to see Brown to work his magic for US audiences, writing: ‘One of @DerrenBrown’s specials is coming to Netflix and it’s about time american audiences embrace this global treasure of a spectacular man’
The official Netflix description of The Push reads: ‘In The Push, Brown exposes the psychological secrets of obedience and social compliance. He expertly lifts the lid on the terrifying truth that, when confronted with authority, our natural instinct is to unflinchingly obey without question—to such an extent that even the most moral people can be made to commit the most horrendous acts, simply because they are told to do so.’
Some users took to Twitter to express their concern on Tuesday when the official trailer was released
Brown doesn’t claim to have any supernatural powers but uses a mix of magic, suggestion, psychology, misdirection and showmanship in his performances.
The Tricks of the Mind author made his television debut with Derren Brown: Mind Control in 2000.
His other TV stunts have included playing Russian roulette on live TV, predicting the National Lottery and hypnotizing a man to assassinate Stephen Fry.
Brown doesn’t claim to have any supernatural powers but uses a mix of magic, suggestion, psychology, misdirection and showmanship in his performances
Tense: The Netflix special will be available to stream on February 27