What is the truth? Sorry if my title made you think I know something. On the other hand, I want to know. On X Factor they said he was involved with NLP and he nodded but in his book he said otherwise. I heard he was Richard Bandler's student? What's the truth?

Derren Brown wanted to be a hypnotherapist and attended one of Paul McKenna's NLP Prac trainings. There's a video somewhere on You Tube that shows this. That's as close as he came, I believe, to being a student of RB.

However, reading his book, DB seems to be half-in, half-out when it comes to NLP. He acknowledges there are some good ideas coming out of NLP and uses the phobia technique as a convincer in one of his chapters. On the other, he bemoans the lack of independent testing and nelper's attitudes towards testing (as perceived by him). He also seems to not like how NLP is certified and organised, and the almost evangelical nature of what he calls 'true believers'.

A classic example of his seeming half-in, half-out status is eye accessing cues. He says himself that they seem to hold up in his experience but also complains about the lack of verification and the amount of 'true belief' there is about it.

Clearly, he employs ideas from NLP in what he does, but also many other things.

I think he even says, in his book, that he thinks NLP is worth learning but with a degree of healthy scepticism and to not live it by rote.

Cheers

What would be the advantage to him in telling you what he really thinks/does? He's an illusionist. He keeps you guessing; he keeps you wondering; he keeps you far enough away that you can't nick his act.

Good on him.