MAGICIANS and hypnotists might have to resist the urge to misuse their abilities for power, money and influence.

But when Derren Brown was young all he wanted to do with his magic was impress his friends.

The illusionist convinced a man that the world had ended in Apocalypse, made TV viewers feel like they were stuck to their chairs in The Events and turned pensioners into art thieves in The Great Art Robbery.

But perhaps the 43-year-old’s greatest trick was his transformation from an insecure student to a master of his art who performs in front of thousands of people on stage.

“I was the guy that just had to show people tricks all the time,” Derren told Weekend.

“I was a bit of a pain really. It was no good just having a normal conversation unless I was being the impressive guy doing tricks.”

So naturally Derren was a hit at parties while he was studying law and German at the University of Bristol.

He added: “I was a bit insecure as a student so I used to love the attention.

“I never got sick of it. I needed to do it to get people to be impressed with me.

“That’s an awful thing but it’s quite common because if you do something like magic it’s the quickest route to impressing people – and a fraudulent route as well.

“I did really need it for a while but once I started properly performing I found myself craving attention less and less. It was a gradual process of growing up.”

Derren had not even thought about magic until he went to university but was spellbound after seeing a show by a hypnotist.

“I just loved it,” he said.

“He had questions and answers afterwards and it was really fascinating.

“That was the starting point. I was in my first year at university and I just decided that was what I was going to learn to do so I got loads of books on it and read up as much as I could.”

Derren’s reputation as an illusionist then began to take shape when he combined psychological and magic techniques a year later.

“I started with a deck of cards,” he added.

“I got myself Mark Wilson’s Complete Course in Magic from a second hand bookstore in Bristol.

“I can’t remember my first trick but I remember learning some basic sleight of hand and coin tricks.

“I eventually found a whole underground world of magic shops. That helped but I never really joined any magic clubs or anything.

“I just kept persevering with my own way and it was always the psychological stuff that interested me more because I started out as a hypnotist.”

A decade of hard work followed with performances at cafes, restaurants, parties, weddings and corporate events – often with little recognition.

Derren said: “When I used to do close up magic in restaurants and things a lot of time people weren’t bothered or didn’t want to know.

“It was nerve-wracking having to approach people and really demoralising if they weren’t really into it.”

But the perseverance paid off when Derren was approached by Channel 4 producers in 1999 to present a mind reading show.

Mind Control aired in 2000 and he has hosted 17 series and specials since then.

Derren has also presented live shows for about 12 years and is on the road for his latest production, Infamous.

His gruelling touring routine means performing six nights a week for six months but he says he is having more fun then ever.

The anxiety of his student days is a thing of the past.

Derren added: “I don’t get nervous but I get very focused because I’ve got a huge amount to remember. But after that I just love it.

“It’s just a joy and I always go off stage on an adrenaline high.”

Derren, an atheist, says he uses techniques like suggestion, psychology and misdirection and distances himself from people who claim to have paranormal abilities.

So what does magic mean to him?

He said: “It’s something that happens in people’s heads when they’re watching. It’s about that feeling of wonder. It provides us with a bit of escape and that’s important every now and again.

“Performance magic is kind of a safe and theatrical way of doing that without involving people’s belief systems too much. That’s when it crosses a line and becomes something else.”

- Derren Brown’s show, Infamous, will be at The Lowry in Salford Quays from June 13 to 21.

For tickets visit thelowry.com