He’s been called one of the UK’s best comedy magicians, and for good reason. 

In this episode of Behind the Secrets, we sit down with the legendary John Archer, whose career spans decades of laughter, astonishment, and unforgettable moments on stage. 

From becoming the first ever Fooler on Penn & Teller: Fool Us to taking on the high-pressure spotlight of Britain’s Got Talent, John shares the highs, the lows, and the glorious disasters that every performer secretly fears (including the infamous Cuba nightclub gig and the night he somehow became a babysitter mid-show). Along the way, he unpacks how comedy and magic really fit together, why the “die on stage” reps matter, and the mindset shifts that keep you both brave and kind with audiences.

We dive into:

• How John blends comedy and magic without tipping into cliché
• The lessons he learned from touring with Tim Vine
• Why dying on stage is essential to becoming great
• The best (and worst) advice he’s ever received
• Why imposter syndrome never really disappears, even after big accolades
• The Cuba fiasco: performing to a dancing crowd that didn’t speak English - and how he “died with dignity”
• Audience selection pitfalls (and fixes): choosing the right volunteer, reading personalities, and recovering from curveballs
• John’s FIRE framework for scripting: Funny, Interesting, Relevant, Entertaining - and cutting everything else
• How room setup can make or break a show (dance floors, bars, ceilings, and attention economics)
• Thoughts on exposure culture and keeping magic sacred while still inviting newcomers in
• Tuning material for context: what John changes for comedy clubs vs. magic audiences

CONNECT WITH JOHN at this website, on YouTube and on Instagram

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Ekaterina is a magician, cardist, YouTube pioneer, marketing executive, content creator, poker player, and Mom – proving that resilience and curiosity can take you anywhere in life. In this conversation, we trace her journey from uploading YouTube videos as a teenager to building a massive global audience with her Let’s Learn series. She shares lessons on patience, pushing through frustration, creating content that lasts, handling negativity, and why she lives by the mantra “I can’t imagine not trying.”

We dive into the side of Ekaterina few people see – the introvert who found therapy in cardistry, the Mom balancing family with an intense marketing career, and the woman who quit alcohol to stay sharp, only to find a surprising new passion: poker. From losing $10,000 to winning $24,000 in a single day, she reveals how poker has taught her resilience, emotional control, and the art of bluffing through life’s toughest tables.

Ekaterina opens up about the highs and lows of being a woman in magic, the backlash over teaching tricks on social media, and how she built a bridge between magicians and the wider world. She explains why algorithms can be “trained,” how she hacked TikTok and YouTube for explosive growth, and why her cat Tiger became such a beloved part of her brand that even Google demanded he appear in her sponsored videos.

This episode is funny, vulnerable, and packed with wisdom. From learning push-ups after painful setbacks to recovering from on-stage flops with a smile, Ekaterina shows us the real magic of persistence – and reminds us that the only true failure is giving up too soon.

In this episode we cover:

• How an introverted kid found therapy in practicing cardistry alone
• The “Let’s Learn” series – and how it accidentally became a global hit
• Balancing life as a Mom, magician, marketer, and content creator
• Facing backlash from magicians – and why she has a “block and delete” policy for negativity
• Lessons on crediting, respecting creators, and evolving magic terminology
• The push-up challenge that turned pain and setbacks into progress
• Why she quit alcohol, stayed sharper – and picked up poker instead
• How poker skills overlap with magic – reading people and bluffing with confidence
• The algorithm hacks that helped her reach 50 million people a month
• Why Tiger the cat became a fan favorite and even a brand-deal requirement
• Her strategy for turning on-stage failures into funny, graceful recoveries
• Why she believes real performers never lose work because of exposure – it’s always about you
• What keeps her up at night: AI, algorithms, and the future of creativity
• 
  

CONNECT WITH EKATERINA at her website, on YouTube, and on Instagram.

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What makes magic feel real? Is it the trick, the technique, or something far more human? In this powerful and surprising conversation, we sit down with Andrew Gerard - magician, consultant, and creative mind behind TV’s biggest magicians including David Blaine, Criss Angel, Keith Barry, Bryan Miles and more. But Andrew’s story goes far beyond the stage. At its core, his work is about connection; the subtle art of listening, the courage to let go of scripts, and the magic that happens when you step into the present moment.

Andrew takes us behind the curtain of his career: from learning the craft of performance, to writing and consulting for global icons, to discovering that true magic comes from silence, intuition, and presence. Andrew shares unforgettable lessons on storytelling, leadership, and how to create moments that people don’t just watch… but they feel.

This episode is as much about life as it is about magic. You’ll hear Andrew’s insights on confidence, creativity, and what it really means to be authentic. And yes, you’ll also discover his most unexpected side gig: perfume making.

In this episode, we cover:

• Andrew’s journey from performing magic to consulting for David Blaine and Criss Angel
• His “table test” process for tearing apart ideas until they’re bulletproof
• Why you must be your own harshest critic before the world is
• How silence and listening can be the most powerful form of magic
• Performing in the hardest conditions - and why chaos is the best training ground
• Why comfort zones destroy creativity and growth
• Behind-the-scenes hurdles of creating magic for TV (and how to overcome them)
• How to strip away crutches and still hold presence under pressure
• The psychology of connection
• What speakers and performers can learn from boxers training in tough gyms
• Andrew’s philosophy on creativity: breaking down, rebuilding, and refining ideas
• Why scripts destroy authenticity - and how to trust your intuition instead
• The difference between tricks and true connection
• Behind-the-scenes stories from working with top illusionists
• How to craft moments that feel unforgettable
• Andrew’s secret life as a perfume maker (yes, really!)
• How a car accident completely changed his world and opened the door to brand new forms of creativity
• And much more!

CONNECT WITH ANDREW at his website, on Instagram and on YouTube.

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In this captivating episode of Behind the Secrets, we are joined by Josephine Lee - the world’s leading female illusionist, for an honest, funny, and deeply insightful conversation about life behind the smoke and mirrors.

From the grand scale glamour of cruise ship theatres to the painful reality of snapping her ACL mid-show (and finishing the performance with gaffer tape - yikes!) Josephine opens up about the grit, resilience, and creativity it takes to survive and thrive in one of entertainment’s most logistically challenging art forms.

You’ll hear about her creative process, her obsession with modernising magic, the lessons she’s learned from both triumphs and flops, and how she uses visual storytelling, music, and audience connection to make illusions way more than “just tricks”.

This is an episode packed with laughter, surprising truths, and practical wisdom for performers, creatives, and anyone chasing big dreams… even when the path ahead is far from easy.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Josephine became the world’s leading female illusionist (and why she laughs at the title)
• Why modernising magic is vital for the art form’s survival
• How 3 minutes on Britain’s Got Talent changed the trajectory of her entire career
• The role music, visuals, and set design play in her creative process
• Overcoming self-doubt and learning to trust your own voice on stage
• How to connect with audiences beyond the “wow” moment of a trick
• Life on cruise ships: cultural audience differences and the ultimate performance bootcamp
• The hidden logistics (and costs) behind touring large-scale illusions
• Surviving an onstage ACL injury - and finishing the run of shows
• The best piece of advice she’s ever been given (and how it cured her perfectionism)
• Lessons from working as a magician’s assistant and what it taught her about excellence
• Why she believes in manifestation and the two-year cycle of her vision boards
• And so much more

CONNECT WITH JOSEPHINE at her website, on Instagram and on YouTube.

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In this deeply funny, insightful, and delightfully nerdy episode of Behind the Secrets, Penguin Magic’s Erik Tate takes us on a deep dive into the surprising, hilarious, and thought-provoking world of a modern working magician, teacher, product developer… and accidental niche celebrity.

From prison-tattooed ducks to mind-blowing revelations about how audiences actually see magic, we talk about career pivots, creative pressure, the power of great teaching, why magic still matters in a world that’s addicted to shortcuts, and the surprising mechanics of what makes a magic product a hit. 

With equal parts heart and razor-sharp insight, Erik opens up about navigating criticism online, the future of exposure and ethics in the digital era, and why curiosity is the true superpower behind every great teacher.

Whether you're a working magician, an enthusiastic amateur, or someone who loves pulling back the curtain, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and pure magic.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Erik shifted from stand-up comedy to full-time magic – and how that changed everything
• The birth of “Nate the Duck,” a wooden puppet with prison tattoos and psychic powers
• The difference between magic for magicians vs. magic for laypeople
• The secrets behind Penguin Magic’s product development process
• Why levitations always sell – and the underrated effect Erik swears by
• How your brain fills in illusions – and why magicians never see what audiences see
• Erik’s philosophy on teaching, curiosity, and making the complex feel simple
• His honest take on magic exposure, ethics, and chasing clicks
• How he handles online negativity – and why the delete button is his best friend
• The one thing magic societies must do if they want to survive
• What it actually feels like to work for the biggest brand in magic
• And how to turn even the cheesiest trick into a showstopper with the right mindset

Connect with Erik Tait

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YouTube

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He’s won America’s Got Talent. Twice. He’s conquered FISM - the Olympics of Magic. He headlines his own Vegas residency night after night. But behind the smoke, mirrors, and cards, Shin Lim is an artist who almost walked away from it all.

In this captivating and unfiltered conversation, I sit down with Shin Lim to explore the journey behind the magic - the heartbreaks, the hair (yes, we talk about his hair), the failures, the flow, and the fire that fuels his artistic obsession.

Shin opens up about the moment carpal tunnel ended his dream of being a concert pianist, and how a YouTube video - and his brother’s slip force trick - changed his life forever. We dive deep into how music became the backbone of his storytelling, why he performs entire routines without speaking, and what it really means to make an audience believe.

He shares the gritty details of almost quitting magic after a disappointing performance at FISM, the surprise phone call that pulled him out of that spiral, and how he built a visual style that now defines an entire genre of close-up magic.

This episode is part masterclass in discipline, part behind-the-scenes of a Vegas headliner, and part soulful exploration of creativity, love, and what is hands-down a legacy-in-the-making.

We cover:

• Shin’s unexpected pivot from piano prodigy, to carpal tunnel, to card magic
• Why Shin nearly gave up magic - and the last-minute tour offer that changed his life
• How belief is the real trick behind the trick
• What it really takes to compete at FISM - and why he’ll never do it again
• The secret to making magic feel real
• How Shin’s wife Casey transformed his Vegas show with visual storytelling and scent design
• Creating magic as a couple: the joy, the creative arguments, and the balance between tech and aesthetic
• The role of music in creating emotion, timing, and flow onstage
• Finding your voice as a performer
• Staying humble when your face is on Vegas billboards
• The truth about magic fails, live-show meltdowns, and how to handle tech disasters
• Shin’s advice for young magicians
• Card in mouth secrets
• How imposter syndrome shows up, even on the Vegas strip
• Why focusing on fame is the fastest way to lose your magic
• How Shin visualizes routines in his head when he can’t physically rehearse
• And more!

Whether you’re an artist, performer, creative, or simply someone curious about what it takes to master a craft and live your dream - this episode will leave you inspired, entertained, and reminded that anything is possible when you stop chasing approval and start chasing wonder.

Watch the full episode at YouTube:

Behind the Secrets by VANISH

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Welcome to Behind the Secrets - the official podcast from VANISH Magic Magazine.

Each week, we sit down with world-class magicians, mentalists, creators, producers, and rising stars who’ve turned the impossible… into reality. We dive into the untold stories behind the sleight of hand and the spectacle... From the first trick that sparked their obsession… to the bold risks, backstage lessons, spectacular flops, and unforgettable moments that shaped their path - we explore the artistry, psychology, performance, and legacy of magic in all its forms. Behind every great illusion is a person who dared to believe… and a real human story; one of courage, creativity, obsession, and pure wonder. 

We are launching with our amazing guests very soon!

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