What's The Trick?
Ben Hanlin talks with comedians, musicians, writers, and content creators about how they turn a spark of an idea into something original and finished. The show digs into the breakthroughs, failures, and step-by-step hard work that audiences never see. Each conversation gets geeky about the creative process, revealing what actually makes a project unforgettable. It's an interview podcast focused on the practical craft behind creative work.
Episodes
The Speech Expert: The Psychology of Powerful Speakers: Boris, Trump & Arnie | Simon Lancaster
What makes someone impossible to ignore when they speak?Speechwriter and communication expert Simon Lancaster joins Ben Hanlin to break down the psychology, rhetoric and techniques behind some of the world’s most influential communicators - from Boris Johnson and Donald Trump to Arnold Schwarzenegger, Oprah Winfrey and some of history’s greatest speeches.Simon reveals how professional speechwriter
Rob Law (Trunki): How a Dragons Den Failure made Millions
Dragon’s Den told Rob Law his business was worthless. What happened next turned Trunki into a global success story.Ben Hanlin sits down with Trunki creator Rob Law to uncover how a university design idea became a product sold around the world, what really happened after his infamous Dragon’s Den rejection, and why the public response changed everything.Rob also breaks down how to take a product fr
Simon Painter: How a Violinist Created Now You See Me Live
Simon Painter went from an unemployed classical violinist to creating and producing some of the biggest live entertainment shows in the world, including The Illusionists and Now You See Me Live.He joins Ben Hanlin to reveal how he built a global theatre career, sold 42,000 tickets at the Sydney Opera House in just eight days, why he creates the poster before the show, the disastrous opening night
Summer Special #5
The Summer Social 5 brings together highlights from three incredible guests: America’s Got Talent winner Paul Zerdin, Mischief Theatre co-founder Henry Lewis and The Simpsons & The Office writer Brant Forrester. Discover the stories, creative processes and career lessons behind three of the biggest names in comedy and entertainment.This episode is for:- Creatives (writers, performers, content
Summer Special #4
Join Ben Hanlin for a special episode of What’s the Trick? as he looks back over the first 30 episodes and revisits three of his personal highlights. Featuring Andy Nyman on creativity and performance, Callie Hart on self-publishing and the power of BookTok, and Dominic McGregor on building Social Chain and understanding what makes content go viral.This episode is for:- Creatives (writers, perform
Summer Special #3
Join Ben for his summer specials series of What’s the Trick? as he looks back on the first 30 conversations. We explore three more of his personal highlights and the unforgettable insights from some of the show’s most inspiring guests.This episode is for:- Creatives (writers, performers, content creators)- Business owners and entrepreneurs- Speakers and presenters- Anyone looking to improve commun
Summer Special #2
Ben is back for the summer specials of What’s the Trick? as he looks back on the first 30 conversations. Revisit three more of his personal highlights and the unforgettable insights shared by some of the show’s most inspiring guests.This episode is for:- Creatives (writers, performers, content creators)- Business owners and entrepreneurs- Speakers and presenters- Anyone looking to improve communic
Summer Special #1
Join Ben Hanlin for a special episode of What’s the Trick? as he looks back on the first 30 conversations. Revisit three of his personal highlights and the unforgettable insights shared by some of the show’s most inspiring guests.This episode is for:- Creatives (writers, performers, content creators)- Business owners and entrepreneurs- Speakers and presenters- Anyone looking to improve communicati
Cally Beaton: From MTV Exec to Stand-up Comedian
How a dinner with Joan Rivers led to Cally quitting her big boardroom job and pursuing her passion as a standup comedian, as a single Mum in late forties.She reveals the mindset behind taking big risks, the lessons she learned from turning down South Park, and why being willing to fail is the key to building a more fulfilling creative life.We also cover how to write comedy - how to get a book deal
Brian Conley: How He Became Saturday Night TV’s Biggest Star
Brian Conley reveals how he went from performing in clubs and warming up television audiences to becoming one of Britain’s biggest Saturday night entertainers, regularly reaching 15 million viewers. He shares the lessons behind his longevity, including how to handle nerves, make every opportunity count, reinvent your career and truly connect with a live audience.If you want to being a long lasting
Brent F: How 'The Simpsons' and 'The Office US' Were Really Written
Emmy Award-winning writer Brent Forrester reveals what really happened inside the writers’ rooms of The Simpsons and The Office, from the pressure of pitching jokes to the techniques used to generate unforgettable stories.He also explains how to create a genuinely collaborative environment, why great comedy begins with vulnerability and why aspiring artists should stop waiting for permission to ma
Henry Lewis: How 'The Play That Goes Wrong' Became a Global Comedy Empire
Henry Lewis reveals how a late-night production performed to tiny audiences grew into The Play That Goes Wrong, a West End phenomenon that has now reached more than 50 countries. He shares the persistence, testing, creative collaboration and business decisions behind Mischief’s success and explains why finishing an imperfect idea is often more valuable than waiting for perfection.This episode is f
Paul Zerdin: What happens after you win Amercia’s Got Talent
Paul Zerdin shares the truth about winning America's Got Talent, revealing how 25 years of preparation, relentless refinement and calculated risks led to one of the biggest moments of his career. Sharing the reality of Las Vegas and burnout to building world-class performances that work anywhere, this is a conversation about success, creativity and what it really takes to stay at the top.This epis
Derren Brown: The Psychology Behind Extraordinary Performers
In this episode of "What’s The Trick?", Ben Hanlin sits down with Derren Brown to explore how to create a psychological hypnosis show.If you want to develop your performing skills, this episode breaks down what actually works.This episode is for:- Creatives (writers, performers, content creators)- Business owners and entrepreneurs- Speakers and presenters- Anyone looking to improve communication a
Warrick Brownlow-Pike: From Watching The Muppets To Working With Them
In this episode of "What’s The Trick?", Ben Hanlin sits down with Warrick Brownlow-Pike to explore how to become a professional puppeteer working for Jim Henson and The Muppets.If you want to improve your character work, this episode breaks down what actually works.This episode is for:- Creatives (writers, performers, content creators)- Business owners and entrepreneurs- Speakers and presenters- A
Nadia Casey: How we can all be funnier in real life…
In this episode of "What’s The Trick?", Ben Hanlin sits down with Nadia Casey to explore how to become funny, without being a comedian. If you want to improve your timing, pace and humour thought process.This episode is for:- Creatives (writers, performers, content creators)- Business owners and entrepreneurs- Speakers and presenters- Anyone looking to improve communication and idea generation---A
Dominic McGregor: How we built Social Chain into a £200m company
In this episode of "What’s The Trick?", Ben Hanlin sits down with Dominic McGregor to explore how he and Steven Bartlett built Social Chain into a £200 million company.If you want to understand how creativity can be used to build a business, this episode breaks down what actually works.This episode is for:- Creatives (writers, performers, content creators)- Business owners and entrepreneurs- Speak
Shoot From The Hip: Why This Improv Group Is Selling Out Theatres Around the World
In this episode of "What’s The Trick?", Ben Hanlin sits down with Shoot From The Hip to explore how they turned an improv group in a full time career.If you want to discover how to make a success improv show, this episode breaks down what actually works.This episode is for:- Creatives (writers, performers, content creators)- Business owners and entrepreneurs- Speakers and presenters- Anyone lookin
Derren Litten: How One Sketch Became Benidorm
In this episode of "What’s The Trick?", Ben Hanlin sits down with Derren Litten to explore how he wrote Benidorm.If you want to learn how to write your own show and have it commissioned, this episode breaks down what actually works.This episode is for:- Creatives (writers, performers, content creators)- Business owners and entrepreneurs- Speakers and presenters- Anyone looking to improve communica
Matt Richardson: Why Most Comedians Never Make It
In this episode of "What’s The Trick?", Ben Hanlin sits down with Matt Richardson to explore how to become a stand up comic.If you want to improve your knowledge on ways to truly make it as a comedian, this episode breaks down what actually works.This episode is for:- Creatives (writers, performers, content creators)- Business owners and entrepreneurs- Speakers and presenters- Anyone looking to im
Easter Special: What 10 Creative Guests Taught Me About Making Things That Work
This episode is a little different, and that is exactly why it matters.Instead of focusing on one guest, one project, or one creative journey, Ben steps back and looks at what the first 10 episodes of What’s The Trick? have actually revealed. The result is a smart, generous roundup of the ideas, habits, decisions, and mindset shifts that keep showing up across very different creative worlds.Across
Matt Denton: How we built BB-8 for Star Wars
What does it take to make a character feel alive when that character is made of mechanics, code, cables, and performance?In this episode, Ben Hanlin sits down with animatronics expert and robot inventor Matt Denton to unpack the craft behind some of modern cinema’s most memorable practical creations, most notably BB-8 from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but also work connected to Harry Potter, Proj
The Hoosiers: How We Wrote Worried About Ray
This episode is about building a long-term music career, and more specifically, how The Hoosiers made the songs and records that defined them, from early breakthrough tracks like “Goodbye Mr A” and “Worried About Ray” to the harder, less visible work of staying creative after success.Ben sits down with Irwin Sparkes and Al Sharland to explore what was actually made: a band, a body of songs, a numb
Jack Savoretti: How to Build a Music Career Without Depending on the Industry
In this episode, Ben Hanlin sits down with singer-songwriter Jack Savoretti to unpack the long road behind his music career, and how he eventually built it on his own terms.Jack, the artist behind albums like Singing to Strangers, Europeana and his latest release We Will Always Be the Way We Were, didn’t follow the typical “signed → success” path. Instead he spent years relentlessly touring build
Dom Joly: How to Make Comedy That Lasts 25 Years (Trigger Happy TV)
This episode is about the making of one of the most iconic hidden-camera comedy shows ever produced: Trigger Happy TV, created by Dom Jolly.Dom didn’t just star in the show. He built it from scratch. No writing room. No committee. No grand career plan. Just a £1,000 camera, a friend behind the bar who became his cameraman, and an instinct for what made him laugh.I wanted to have this conversation
Pulp Kitchen: How to Build a Successful Podcast
This episode is about building a podcast - specifically, how two friends built the Pulp Kitchen Podcast, into a sustainable creative business.Pulp Kitchen began as a simple idea: talk about films every week. No built-in audience. No fame. No production team. Just consistency, shared enthusiasm, and a decision to commit long-term. Over time, that weekly habit turned into a full-time creative career
Amelia Sordell: How to Create a Personal Brand
In this episode of What’s The Trick?, Ben Hanlin sits down with Amelia Sordell - founder of multi-million-pound personal brand agency 'Klowt' and now a creator, advisor, and podcast host in her own right - to unpack what it really takes to build a personal brand that works.Not the vanity version. Not the “10k followers in 30 days” version. The real version.Together, they explore how Amelia built h
Owen Cutts: How I made music with Stormzy
Music Producer, Songwriter - This episode is about how music is actually made - not the romantic version, but the real one. The rooms. The pressure. The trust. The decisions that quietly determine whether an idea lives or dies.Ben sits down with a producer and songwriter Owen Cutts work spans hip-hop, soul, pop, and British music culture, someone who has built a long career behind the scenes,
Scott Bennett: How to Become a Full-Time Comedian (at 38 years old)
Scott Bennett didn’t “accidentally” become a professional comedian. He built it the same way you build anything that lasts: years of reps, ruthless attention to craft, and a willingness to bet on himself when the “safe option” stopped feeling safe.In this episode of What’s The Trick?, Ben Hanlin sits down with Scott to talk about what Scott has actually made: a sustainable stand-up career, a writi
Matthew Barry: How to Become a TV Screenwriter (Sabrina, EastEnders, and The Guest)
What does writing for television actually look like when the cameras aren’t rolling and the typing isn’t happening yet?In this episode of What’s The Trick?, Ben Hanlin sits down with TV writer and creator Matthew Barry to unpack the real mechanics behind making large-scale drama - from writers’ rooms that barely involve writing, to the invisible maths of scheduling, budgets, and momentum that quie
Dan Rhodes: How to Become YouTube’s Biggest Magician
This episode is a deep, honest look at what it actually takes to build a creative career on the internet, not in theory, but in practice.Ben Hanlin sits down with Dan Rhodes, one of the most-followed magicians on YouTube, to unpack how a background in magic turned into a global audience through short-form video, disciplined experimentation, and an almost obsessive focus on consistency. What was ma
Tom Basden: How to Make a Career as a TV & Film Writer
Have you ever wonder how to make a career as a TV & Film writer? Join Ben Hanlin as interviews Tom Basden about his journey in filmmaking, focusing on the transition from a short film to a feature, the collaborative writing process, the challenges of production, and the role of music in storytelling. Tom shares insights on improvisation during filming, the importance of passion in writing, and
Simon Brodkin: How to Become a Stand-up Comedian
Have you ever wondered how to make a career as a Comedian?Ben Hanlin is joined by Simon Brodkin, known for his character Lee Nelson, as he shares insights into his creative process, the evolution of comedy, and the art of pranking. He discusses the transition from character comedy to stand-up, the impact of social media on the comedy landscape, and the challenges of self-producing comedy specials.
Matt Edmondson: How to Create a Global Board Game
Have you ever wondered how to create a global board game?Ben Hanlin is joined by radio presenter and board game creator Matt Edmondson, discussing the tricks to becoming a successful board game creator.He discusses the creative process behind developing board games, the importance of collaboration, the challenges of launching a game, and the excitement of expanding into global markets.Matt also de
Andy Nyman: How to Become a Successful Actor
Have you ever wondered how to become a successful actor?This week Ben Hanlin is joined by Olivier-nominated actor and writer Andy Nyman. Listen in from the empty Garrick Theatre following his performance in ‘The Producers’.During this episode, we explore Andy’s career from starring in ‘Wicked’, working with magician ‘Darren Brown’, to writing and producing his still-touring show ‘Ghost Stories’.He
Callie Hart: How to Write a Best-selling Book (Quicksilver)
Have you ever wondered how to become a best-selling author?Join Ben Hanlin as Callie Hart discusses the rise of the romantic fantasy genre, her journey to writing 'Quicksilver', and the intricacies of character development and world-building.Sharing insights into her writing process, the challenges of self-publishing versus traditional publishing, and the impact of social media, particularly BookT
Niall Gray: How to go Viral on TikTok
Have you ever wondered how to become a viral content creator? Join Ben Hanlin as he interviews TikToker and Capital FM presenter, Niall Gray, who is best known for his parodies of British tv show such as, “A Place In The Sun” and “Top Gear”. BUT he went viral for his sound, “Catch Flights, Not Feelings”During this episode of the podcast, they discuss how Niall creates ideas for videos, how he mana
Simon Squibb: How to Create Viral Social Media Content
What's The Trick to becoming a Viral Content Creator?Ben Hanlin interviews Simon Squibb, exploring the intricacies of creativity, content creation, and the entrepreneurial journey.They discuss the importance of community, transparency, and the role of social media platforms like TikTok in sharing knowledge.Simon shares his insights on financial literacy, the creative process, and the significance
What's The Trick? (Trailer)
How do you take a spark of an idea and turn it into something original, finished, and unforgettable?In this conversation, we sit down with some of The World’s most creative people and get geeky about their creative process. The breakthroughs, the failures, the step-by-step hard work that audiences never see.Join Ben Hanlin as he interviews Comedians, Musicians, Writers, Content Creators and asks t
