TV's 50 Greatest Magic Tricks


TV's 50 Greatest Magic Tricks is a one-off list show that was produced by Objective Productions for Channel 5. The programme counts down the fifty greatest magic tricksThe Magic Bullet by Penn & Teller is the illusion at number one. The show was presented by the British actress Fay Ripley, and was directed by Helen Albon. TV's 50 Greatest Magic Tricks was first broadcast on Channel 5 on 31 December 2011. The list of magic tricks features set pieces, stunts and rabbit-out-of-the-hat tricks. Contributors to the programme included Penn & Teller, Paul Daniels and Dynamo. Two tricks by the British magician Pete Firman featured in the list, with his Goldfish Trick in the top ten.

Magic tricks

  1. The Magic Bullet
  2. Death Saw
  3. Russian Roulette
  4. Chop Cup
  5. The Cardboard Box Illusion
  6. Walking on Water
  7. Goldfish Trick
  8. Challenge of the Death Dive
  9. Cigarette Routine
  10. Quick Change
  11. Blended Mouse
  12. Metamorphosis
  13. Shoe Trick
  14. Dream
  15. Torn and Restored Newspaper
  16. Guillotine
  17. Pool Shark
  18. The Tube Experiment
  19. Iron Maiden
  20. Hummer Illusion,
  21. Spreadwave
  22. Coin Trick
  23. Houdini's Water Torture Escape
  24. Truck Trick
  25. Levitation
  26. Card Manipulation
  27. Pulse Stopping
  28. Motorcycle Illusion
  29. Snowball Trick
  30. Flying
  31. Sawing in Half
  32. Goldfish Transformation
  33. Silhouette
  34. Homunculus
  35. Tax Disc Trick
  36. Doves
  37. Interlude
  38. Floating Lightbulb
  39. Toe Cards
  40. Signed and Restored Card
  41. Spoon Bending
  42. Card Revelation
  43. Portal
  44. Any Card at Any Number
  45. One Million Pound Vanish
  46. 673 King Street
  47. Bottle Glass
  48. Tower Bridge Vanish
  49. Miser's Dream
  50. Floating Guitar

Reception

Following the original broadcast in 2011, Channel 5 repeated TV's 50 Greatest Magic Tricks multiple times, including in 2012 and 2013. When broadcast in 2012, the programme achieved an average of one million viewers and an audience share of 3.9%.