6. Make influential friends

Available for over a year

Documentary evidence shows that when Harry Houdini first arrived in the UK, he struck up a friendship, of sorts, with a man who would go on to pioneer British espionage. A man who would go on to be the inspiration for the character “M” in Ian Fleming’s James Bond. It begs the question: Beyond the handcuffs and the stage, did the world's most famous mystifier, Houdini, lead a double life as an international informant? Derren Brown investigates the shadowy network of high-profile connections that shaped Houdini’s global career. From suspicious passport alterations to intelligence reports signed "HH" ahead of tours through volatile Russia and Germany, the pieces of a tantalising puzzle begin to fall into place. There is, after all, a striking overlap between the misdirection of a master magician and the tradecraft of espionage. Whatever the answer, Houdini’s fame clearly benefitted from his high-profile connections. Presenter: Derren Brown Writer/Producer: Calum McCrae Additional research: Alice Homewood Sound designer: David Crackles Executive producer: Sophie Ellis Commissioning Executive: Tracy Williams Commissioning Editor: Daniel Clarke A Strawberry Blond production for BBC Sounds and Radio 4