An update on what I’m up to at the moment.

I’m filming a few documentaries that should air next Spring, which concern me spending time with individuals involved with some aspect of what could loosely be described as the paranormal, or who are making extraordinary claims. Despite my scepticism, I am not going in with an aggressive or de-bunking mindset, and am open to the evidence and would personally love to be befuddled and unable to explain away what I come across. True, honest scepticism involves an openness to fresh evidence (as opposed to cynicism which is a closed-minded rejection from the start), and I would hope that this non-aggressive (but still rigorous) approach will set the tone for the films. We are aiming to make three documentaries for now: I have made one already in the States concerning ghosts, which I found quite fascinating, and will let you have more details nearer the time.

Meanwhile, I’m also filming a brand new series which will air next September or so. This will most likely be four one-hours, each based around a particular stunt, and probably with live elements. After the mini-dramas of Trick or Treat, I’d like to return to my roots and do something based around performance, tapping into the old publicity-driven stunts of the magicians and mind-readers of yesteryear. They should be fun. We’ve filmed a few bits and pieces for the series, and hope to embrace my iPhone blog-technology and post you pictures and thoughts live from filming. How exciting; hold on to your knick-knocks.

Christmas this year, however, will bring you the televised version of the Evening of Wonders stage show with which I toured this and last year. Like Something Wicked This Way Comes, it has been chopped down to an hour and a half or so, but a future DVD will contain the bits removed. This rather lovely new DVD is in the pipeline for soon-ish after Christmas, I think. And of course you’re aware of the fact that four of the Specials (Heist/Seance/Russian Roulette/System) are coming out in a DVD box-set as I type and are also available on Amazon. Apologies to those of you who would have preferred Messiah over any of those included: I had to make the choice and it’s been eating me up ever since.

I am also thinking about the NEXT stage show, which will be touring Spring 2009 and hopefully (if we can get a theatre) coming into the West End straight after. I understand the tickets are already selling: which is strange, as I have no real idea yet what the show will consist of. But that’s how it is every time a new show comes around – all the real work happens in a wonderful two-month period before opening night.

Book-wise, there are two projects underway. If your wardrobe needs propping up less than an inch or so, then I’d point you respectfully to a large-format book of my portraits which should be in the shops (probably next to the toilet wipes) next April or so. I believe it can be pre-ordered on Amazon here.

If, however, you have lost a wheel from the base of your sofa and are looking for much thicker support, then grab your eyes and roll them both towards the book which I have just begun writing. This one is due out much later I’m afraid: hopefully the Christmas of next year. Start saving now – just thirty or forty pounds a day is all you’ll need to put by. I’ve only written twenty pages, but will post more once I get a better sense of how to describe it. Meanwhile please lobby Starbucks on my behalf to get proper Wifi, instead of the insulting T-mobile hotspot idiocy, and I’ll get it written sooner.

You will be aware of some online activity I also seem to be getting engaged in. Some very kind people are working on some new web-sites for me, and hopefully they will be properly live soon. This blog is the first (and simplest) of three projects: there will also be a site dedicated to the artwork (some of the brightest and kindest of you will have realised that there is a curious ‘derrenbrownart’ mentioned in the URL of this blog: that shall indeed be its place.) And finally, there shall be a brand-spanking-new personal site to replace both the flash and HTML sites that have lingered largely untouched on the net for some time now. The guys at namelessuk created a sensational and award-winning flash site for me some years ago, which still lives; but time has moved on and a fresher, more straightforward, funkier doo-dah is now needed. I hope you like the result: this blog will become part of it once the main site is up and running and skipping and dancing.

I think that’s all. I need breakfast.

D x