Introduction
Ben Hanlin is a British magician, presenter, keynote speaker and event host best known for ITV2’s hidden-camera magic show Tricked. He built his career in an unusual way, moving from a conventional job into street magic, YouTube videos and television before expanding into live performance and business speaking.
Today, Hanlin is no longer defined only by Tricked. As of August 2026, his official work covers magic, keynote speaking and hosting, while he also presents the creativity-focused podcast What’s The Trick?. Companies House records also show that he remains director of the active production company Magic Boy Media Limited.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Benjamin Scott Hanlin |
| Born | March 1986 |
| Age | 40, as of August 2026 |
| Nationality | British |
| School | Warwick School, 1999–2004 |
| University | University of Reading, 2004–2007 |
| Known for | ITV2 magic series Tricked |
| Company | Magic Boy Media Limited |
| Current roles | Magician, keynote speaker, event host and podcaster |
| Net worth | No reliable public estimate |
| Spouse | Briony Hanlin |
| Children | Two |
| Major achievement | 27 magic tricks in one minute in a 2018 Guinness World Records attempt |
Companies House lists Hanlin’s birth month as March 1986, rather than publishing a full date of birth. This makes him 40 as of August 2026. An exact date of 26 March appears widely online, but the stronger primary company record confirms only the month and year.
Who Is Ben Hanlin? Early Life and Education
Ben Hanlin comes from the Birmingham area and attended Warwick School from 1999 to 2004. Warwick School’s own alumni publications identify him as an Old Warwickian and later documented his work as a television magician and presenter.
His professional profile records his attendance at the University of Reading from 2004 to 2007. Reliable sources confirm that he completed university, although the exact subject of his degree is not clearly established enough to state as fact.
Hanlin has given useful first-person details about the period before fame. In a 2026 career summary, he said his parents had been market traders who later became wholesalers in Birmingham. He also said watching David Blaine’s street magic on television at around 13 pushed him toward learning magic seriously.
By 17, Hanlin says he was working as a resident magician at TGI Fridays in Solihull. Magic was already part of his life, but he initially followed a more traditional professional path after university.
At 21, he became a trainee chartered surveyor. Hanlin says he was made redundant after only three months and later moved into sales. That period matters because his entertainment career was not a simple move from school straight into television. He first tested a conventional working life and then made a deliberate change.
How Ben Hanlin Built His Career From Street Magic to Tricked
The key career decision came in 2009, when Hanlin left his sales job to work as a full-time magician.
He has described starting with street performances and close-up magic at weddings. In a 2017 interview, he recalled busking in Stratford-upon-Avon because he needed to turn his skills into an income rather than treating magic as a hobby.
His next step was especially important. Hanlin began creating online videos built around finding celebrities and surprising them with magic. His official biography recalls that he even flew to Los Angeles trying to track down Britney Spears for one of these videos.
The strategy helped him get noticed before online creators had become as central to mainstream entertainment as they are today. Television opportunities followed, including work with CBBC and Discovery Channel’s Breaking Magic. Warwick School’s 2013 alumni publication was already describing him as a CBBC presenter and a performer on the Discovery programme.
His biggest television break arrived with Tricked on ITV2 in 2013.
The series mixed magic with hidden-camera entertainment and celebrity reactions. Hanlin became closely identified with the show, but its success was not based only on publicity. At the 2014 Broadcast Digital Awards, Tricked won Best Entertainment Programme, giving the series independent industry recognition.
Hanlin later said Tricked was cancelled in 2016 after three series. Losing the programme that had become his main public identity forced him to build a career that did not depend on one television format.
From Tricked to Live Shows, Guinness Records and Dancing on Ice
Hanlin continued working as a live magician after Tricked. His official biography lists performances in London’s West End with The Illusionists, appearances on Live at the Palladium, and one-man shows at the Edinburgh Fringe.
One of his clearest measurable achievements came in January 2018.
At Guinness World Records headquarters in London, Hanlin attempted the record for the most magic tricks performed in one minute. He failed his first attempt, then broke the record twice during later attempts and finished with 27 successfully completed tricks.
The result gives more substance to his career record than the broad label of “celebrity magician.” Guinness required the tricks to be visibly different or involve different skills, and the attempt was formally adjudicated.
Hanlin reached another large television audience in 2020 when he competed on ITV’s Dancing on Ice with professional skater Carlotta Edwards.
He reached the semi-final but lost a skate-off against Paralympian Libby Clegg and Mark Hanretty on 1 March 2020. With three contestants moving into the final, Hanlin finished the competition in fourth place.
The appearance kept him visible after the end of Tricked, but his later career moved increasingly toward live events, hosting and professional speaking.
Ben Hanlin Net Worth and Magic Boy Media
There is no reliable public figure for Ben Hanlin’s net worth.
Various celebrity websites publish estimated figures, but no credible Forbes estimate, Bloomberg valuation or verified personal financial disclosure was found. For that reason, presenting a specific number as “Ben Hanlin’s net worth” would give readers more certainty than the evidence allows.
His business ownership, however, can be checked through official records.
Companies House shows that Magic Boy Media Limited, company number 08236681, was incorporated on 2 October 2012 and remains active. Its registered business activity includes television programme production.
Hanlin is listed as the company’s active director and has held that role since its incorporation. More importantly, the company’s persons-with-significant-control register states that he controls 75% or more of its shares and 75% or more of its voting rights.
That provides strong evidence that Magic Boy Media is a business he controls. It does not, however, provide a reliable shortcut to his personal wealth. Company assets, revenue or retained earnings should not automatically be treated as the owner’s individual net worth.
Ben Hanlin’s Wife, Family and Move Into Speaking
Hanlin’s official biography identifies his wife as Briony and says the couple have two children. Those basic facts are publicly confirmed, but there is little reader value in turning a professional biography into detailed coverage of his children’s private lives.
A more relevant recent development is Hanlin’s move into professional speaking.
His current keynote work focuses heavily on communication, human connection and audience engagement. His official speaking material positions his performance experience as a practical way to explain how people can communicate more effectively in meetings, presentations and client conversations.
That part of his career gained outside recognition in 2024. Warwick School’s alumni publication reported that Hanlin received three honours at The Speaker Awards: Best Newcomer, Best TEDx Speaker 2024 and Speaker of the Year. His own website separately reported the same three awards.
The shift is significant because many older biographies still describe Hanlin mainly as a TV magician. His current business profile is wider: magic remains central, but speaking and hosting have become major parts of the work he markets today.
Where Is Ben Hanlin Now?
As of August 2026, Ben Hanlin remains professionally active.
His official website currently describes him as “Magician | Speaker | Host.” It promotes keynote speaking, awards hosting and corporate entertainment, while describing work with businesses including Google, Coca-Cola and PwC. His site also states that he has more than two million online followers and more than 100 television appearances; those figures are best treated as self-reported professional statistics.
Another important current project is What’s The Trick?, Hanlin’s podcast about creativity, communication, storytelling and the process behind turning ideas into real work.
The podcast is not an abandoned side project. Acast published episode 31 on 7 August 2026 and episode 32, Summer Special #2, on 14 August 2026. The latest episode described Hanlin as a magician, presenter and keynote speaker who also hosts corporate events and interviews creative professionals.
This current activity gives a more accurate picture of Hanlin than older pages that still focus heavily on past radio or television positions. His career in 2026 combines entertainment with communication-focused speaking, hosting, podcasting and his ongoing Magic Boy Media business.
Ben Hanlin Career Timeline
| Year | What Happened | Why It Mattered |
|---|---|---|
| 1999–2004 | Attended Warwick School | Establishes his early education |
| 2004–2007 | Attended University of Reading | Completed higher education before entering full-time entertainment |
| 2009 | Left his sales career for full-time magic | Major professional turning point |
| 2013 | Tricked launched on ITV2 | Became his breakthrough TV project |
| 2014 | Tricked won a Broadcast Digital Award | Added independent industry recognition |
| 2016 | Tricked ended after three series | Pushed Hanlin toward new formats and live work |
| 2018 | Completed 27 magic tricks in one minute | Guinness World Records achievement |
| 2020 | Reached Dancing on Ice semi-final | Expanded his mainstream TV profile |
| 2024 | Won three Speaker Awards | Confirmed his move into keynote speaking |
| 2026 | Active as magician, speaker, host and podcaster | Reflects his current professional identity |
FAQs About Ben Hanlin
Who is Ben Hanlin?
Ben Hanlin is a British magician, presenter, keynote speaker and event host. He became widely known through ITV2’s hidden-camera magic series Tricked and now works across live entertainment, speaking, corporate events and podcasting.
How old is Ben Hanlin?
Ben Hanlin is 40 years old as of August 2026. Companies House records his birth month and year as March 1986.
What is Ben Hanlin famous for?
He is best known for Tricked, the ITV2 magic programme that ran for three series. The show won Best Entertainment Programme at the 2014 Broadcast Digital Awards.
What is Ben Hanlin’s net worth?
Ben Hanlin’s net worth has not been reliably verified. Online estimates are not supported by a strong financial source, so a specific figure should not be treated as established fact.
Who is Ben Hanlin’s wife?
Hanlin’s official biography identifies his wife as Briony Hanlin. It also states that they have two children.
Does Ben Hanlin own a company?
He controls Magic Boy Media Limited. Companies House records him as its active director and states that he owns 75% or more of its shares and voting rights.
What is Ben Hanlin doing now?
In 2026, Hanlin works as a magician, keynote speaker and event host and presents the What’s The Trick? podcast. The podcast was still releasing episodes in August 2026, making it one of his clearest current media projects.
Final Thoughts
Ben Hanlin’s career has changed several times without leaving magic behind. He moved from street and close-up performances into online video, television, live theatre and reality TV, then expanded into keynote speaking, hosting and podcasting.
Tricked remains the programme most closely linked to his name, but it no longer tells the full story. In 2026, his active company, speaking work and What’s The Trick? podcast show a performer who has built a wider career around entertainment, creativity and communication.
