Not only does he possess the requisite skills to host TV specials and live shows whilst exhibiting some expert-level manipulation, close-up magic, hypnotism and being really bloody brave (we'll get to the Russian roulette soon enough), but Derren Brown's one of those show offs that isn't content being known for his most visible sets of skills. Somehow he finds the time, amongst all that other spectacular stuff, to dabble in everything from philanthropy to acting to painting caricatures, like the one of Dame Judi Dench seen above. He had a fair amount of his work published in a QI annual one year, a show with which he has no real connection. In 2009 he published Portraits, a book of his work with extensive notes, and the originals are looked after by the Rebecca Hossack Gallery in London and New York, who host an exhibition of his work whenever he has had a chance to create some new pieces. There's a whole collection of the acrylic masterpieces on his website, alongside a step-by-step process of a portrait of actor Michael Sheen. Unsurprisingly for such an enigmatic performer, that's something else that Brown has dabbled in over the years; besides a smattering of short films and cameo appearances (like the last series premiere of Sherlock), he appeared as Sir Roger Widdowson in the BBC Four horror series Crooked House. Written by Sherlock's Mark Gatiss, funnily enough. And you know what? He was really good in it. Show off.
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
