Ben Hanlin: The Magician Who Turned Simple Tricks Into TV Success
From entertaining classmates to starring on ITV, here is the story of a British magician who built his career through creativity, humour and hard work.
Introduction
Ben Hanlin is a British magician, television presenter, entertainer and public speaker. He is best known for hosting ITV2’s Tricked and competing in Dancing on Ice in 2020.
His career started rather differently. Before television fame, he worked in sales. Magic was his passion, but making it a full-time job required a big decision.
He took that chance in 2009.
Since then, he has performed on major television shows, appeared on West End stages and entertained audiences around the world.
Today, he also works as a keynote speaker and hosts the podcast What’s The Trick?.
Quick Facts About Ben Hanlin
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Benjamin Scott Hanlin |
| Known as | Ben Hanlin |
| Date of birth | 26 March 1986 |
| Age | 40 years old (2026) |
| Birthplace | Birmingham, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Profession | Magician, television presenter and speaker |
| School | Warwick School |
| University | University of Reading |
| Wife | Briony Hanlin |
| Children | Two |
| Famous television show | Tricked |
| Dancing on Ice | Semi-finalist in 2020 |
| Career in professional magic | Since 2009 |
| Known achievement | Completed 27 magic tricks in one minute in 2018 |
| Current work | Magic, public speaking, event hosting and podcasting |
| Official website | https://www.benhanlin.com/ |
Early Life and Childhood
Ben Hanlin was born on 26 March 1986 in Birmingham, England.
He grew up in a family with a business background. His parents worked as market traders before moving into wholesale business activities in Birmingham.
Magic caught his attention early.
As a young boy, he enjoyed watching magicians perform. British television magician Paul Daniels was among the performers who influenced his interest.
Then came David Blaine.
Watching Blaine perform street magic made a strong impression on him. The idea of surprising ordinary people with something they could not explain fascinated him.
He wanted to try it himself.
So he began learning tricks.
Those early experiments helped him understand something that would later become part of his professional style: a good magic performance depends on the audience’s reaction.
It was about making people laugh, look twice and wonder what had just happened.
Education and School Years
He attended Warwick School in Warwickshire.
Later, he studied at the University of Reading.
His interest in magic continued throughout his education. He practised tricks and learned how to perform in front of other people.
By his teenage years, he was gaining practical experience.
He performed as a resident magician at a TGI Fridays restaurant in Solihull when he was around 17.
This was useful experience.
Restaurant magic meant working close to customers. He had to hold their attention, respond to interruptions and keep the performance entertaining.
Those skills later became familiar parts of his television appearances.
His First Jobs Before Becoming Famous
His professional life did not begin in television.
After university, Hanlin pursued a conventional career. He began training as a chartered surveyor but lost that position after only a few months.
He then moved into sales.
It was a job he enjoyed.
Still, magic remained an important interest. He continued performing and developing his abilities while working outside entertainment.
Eventually, he faced a choice.
He could continue with his regular job or attempt to earn a living through magic.
In 2009, he chose magic.
He left his job and began working as a professional performer.
There was no guaranteed television contract waiting for him. He had to build his career from the beginning.
How His Magic Career Started
Becoming a full-time magician was only the first step.
He needed an audience.
At the time, social media and online video were giving entertainers new ways to reach people without relying entirely on traditional television.
Hanlin recognised that opportunity.
He created videos featuring magic tricks performed for members of the public and celebrities.
One of his early projects was called Magic Boy TV.
The idea was unusual.
He would attempt to find well-known personalities and surprise them with magic.
He used social media to help locate celebrities and arrange or attempt encounters.
He even travelled to Los Angeles hoping to find Britney Spears.
The project attracted attention.
His combination of humour, celebrity encounters and street magic began opening doors in the television industry.
It was a smart use of a simple idea.
He was showing people what he could do instead of merely telling producers about his talent.
Television Breakthrough With Tricked
His biggest early television success arrived in 2013.
That year, ITV2 launched Tricked, a magic entertainment programme presented by Hanlin.
The show mixed magic with hidden-camera surprises.
Ordinary people and celebrities became involved in unexpected situations, with illusions forming the centre of each encounter.
Some reactions were funny.
Others were genuinely surprised.
That was part of the appeal.
Unlike a traditional stage magic show, Tricked placed performances in situations that felt more familiar to viewers.
The television series ran from 2013 to 2016.
It also received industry recognition.
In 2014, Tricked won the Best Entertainment Programme award at the Broadcast Digital Awards.
That achievement helped establish Hanlin as a recognised television magician.
For many British viewers, Tricked remains the programme most closely associated with his name.
Other Television Appearances
Although Tricked gave him wider recognition, it was not his only television project.
His early presenting work included CBBC and Discovery Channel’s Breaking Magic.
Breaking Magic connected scientific ideas with entertaining magic demonstrations.
He also appeared on other major programmes.
His official career history includes appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Live at the Palladium.
These opportunities introduced his performance style to audiences beyond ITV2.
His work also reached radio.
For a performer who had started by entertaining people at a restaurant, appearing on major television programmes marked a considerable change.
Yet his performance style remained approachable.
Humour stayed important.
Dancing on Ice Journey in 2020
In 2020, Hanlin joined the twelfth series of ITV’s Dancing on Ice.
This was a different challenge.
He was used to performing magic, but competitive figure skating required another set of skills.
He was partnered with professional skater Carlotta Edwards.
Together, they trained and competed against other celebrity contestants.
The competition placed him in front of a large television audience.
He reached the semi-finals.
His journey ended on 1 March 2020, leaving him in fourth place.
Although he did not win, reaching that stage was a major result for someone whose professional background was entertainment rather than skating.
The programme also introduced him to viewers who had not previously watched his magic shows.
Live Magic Shows and Stage Performances
Television is only one part of his career.
He has also worked extensively as a live performer.
One of his recognised stage credits is The Illusionists, a production that appeared in London’s West End.
He also performed solo shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2016 and 2018.
His shows received five-star reviews.
According to his official biography, Theatre Weekly named his 2018 performance the Best Variety Show of the Fringe.
Live magic brings different demands.
There is no television editing.
The performer must respond to the audience immediately.
Hanlin’s experience with close-up magic, comedy and television helped him develop a style suitable for both small groups and large venues.
Guinness World Records Achievement
One of his best-documented achievements happened in January 2018.
He visited Guinness World Records headquarters in London to attempt a speed-magic record.
The challenge was simple to explain.
Perform as many different magic tricks as possible within 60 seconds.
Actually doing it was much harder.
Each trick had to be visibly different or demonstrate a different skill.
His first attempt failed.
He tried again.
After improving his performance, he completed 27 magic tricks in one minute.
Guinness World Records published the achievement on 26 January 2018.
That remains an important moment in his professional career.
However, it is a historical achievement rather than a record he currently holds.
Guinness lists Canadian performer Ian Stewart as the record holder after completing 52 tricks on 4 May 2024.
Ben Hanlin Wife and Marriage
Ben Hanlin is married to Briony Hanlin.
Their wedding was featured publicly in 2014 in a photography article describing a vintage circus-themed celebration.
His wife has been part of his life throughout much of his professional career.
Hanlin has spoken positively about her support during the years he built his entertainment business.
His official website also mentions his family.
Despite being a public performer, he does not make every aspect of his marriage part of his professional work.
Most of his published content focuses on magic, entertainment and speaking.
Does He Have Children?
Yes. He and Briony have two children.
His official biography confirms this.
He has also spoken publicly about his experience of fatherhood.
A 2020 interview discussed a serious illness experienced by his young daughter and the family’s experience seeking medical care.
He used that public appearance to raise awareness of recognising serious illness in children.
Outside such interviews, he generally keeps his professional work centred on entertainment.
Business Career Beyond Television
Hanlin has also been involved in business.
After gaining experience in television, he worked on developing entertainment projects.
He later helped establish a digital marketing business.
In 2021, he co-founded Pull The Pin with two friends.
The business was connected to digital marketing and content.
This was a different kind of work from performing magic, though his experience creating videos and attracting online audiences was relevant.
He eventually exited the business at the end of 2024.
His career had already begun moving towards corporate speaking, event hosting and live entertainment.
This gave him another professional direction.
Corporate Events and Public Speaking
Today, Hanlin is known for more than television magic.
He hosts corporate events and speaks at conferences.
His presentations often focus on communication, creativity and human connection.
He uses examples from his performing career to explain how people can attract and hold an audience’s attention.
His professional website identifies clients including Amazon, Coca-Cola, Google, McDonald’s and PwC.
He has also received awards for his work as a speaker.
In 2024, he announced that he had received three awards at The Speaker Awards.
His website identifies him as a Speaker of the Year recipient.
For someone who once relied on short magic performances to earn attention, public speaking offers another way to use those skills.
Social Media Career
Online videos helped him become known.
They continue to be important.
His official website reports more than two million followers across his social platforms.
His video content frequently features illusions, interactive tricks and entertaining reactions.
Some performances are recorded in everyday settings.
Others are made for a wider online audience.
Short-form videos suit his style because viewers can watch a trick and see the reaction within a brief period.
His official biography reports that his magic videos have collectively received billions of views.
These are figures reported by his professional website, rather than independently audited totals.
What’s The Trick? Podcast
Another important project is What’s The Trick?, a podcast that began in 2025.
Here, his attention moves beyond magic.
He interviews creative professionals about their work, ideas and experiences.
The conversations cover subjects such as comedy, entertainment, writing, communication and business.
Guests have included performers and entrepreneurs.
The podcast gives listeners a chance to hear how experienced professionals develop ideas and deal with difficulties.
It also gives Hanlin another role.
He is the interviewer rather than the person performing the trick.
The programme is available through podcast platforms, including Acast and Apple Podcasts.
What Is He Doing in 2026?
As of October 2026, Hanlin remains professionally active.
He works as a magician, speaker, event host and content creator.
His official website promotes corporate entertainment, conference appearances and keynote talks.
He also continues hosting What’s The Trick?.
On 9 October 2026, the podcast released an episode featuring speechwriter and communication expert Simon Lancaster.
The conversation examined public speaking and the techniques used by effective communicators.
His current work reflects a career that has moved beyond a single television programme.
Magic remains part of it.
But speaking, interviewing and hosting have become major activities too.
Ben Hanlin Net Worth
There is no reliable, publicly verified figure for his personal net worth.
He has worked in television, live entertainment, business, corporate speaking and online content.
These activities represent different possible sources of income.
Still, that does not establish how much money he owns.
Without credible financial documents or direct public confirmation, an exact net-worth figure would be speculation.
The same applies to his annual salary.
What Makes His Career Interesting?
One striking part of Hanlin’s story is how he found audiences.
He did not begin with his own television series.
He practised in ordinary places.
Then he performed for customers, created online videos and searched for opportunities.
Some experiments worked.
Others were less successful.
But he kept performing.
His 2009 decision to leave sales was important because it allowed him to focus on magic professionally.
His online celebrity videos later helped him reach television producers.
Then Tricked gave him a larger platform.
He has continued changing the type of work he does, without leaving entertainment behind.
Final Thought
Ben Hanlin’s career began with a young boy fascinated by magic.
Years later, that interest became his profession.
From restaurant performances to ITV television, West End stages and corporate events, he has built a career around entertaining people.
His story has included career changes, new projects and unfamiliar challenges.
Still, one thing has remained consistent.
He enjoys performing for people.
And in 2026, he is still finding new ways to do it.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who is Ben Hanlin?
Ben Hanlin is a British magician, television presenter and public speaker. He is best known for ITV2’s Tricked and his appearance on Dancing on Ice.
2. How old is Ben Hanlin?
He is 40 years old as of October 2026. He was born on 26 March 1986.
3. Where was he born?
He was born in Birmingham, England.
4. Who is Ben Hanlin’s wife?
He is married to Briony Hanlin.
5. How many children does he have?
He has two children with his wife.
6. Did he win Dancing on Ice?
No. He reached the semi-finals of the 2020 series and finished fourth.
7. What is his most famous TV show?
He is best known for presenting Tricked, which aired on ITV2 from 2013 to 2016.
8. What is Ben Hanlin doing now?
He continues working as a magician, keynote speaker, corporate event host and podcast presenter.
