I thought Derren Brown was fake until I copied him and made someone pass out, says albino hypnotist

Scottish Sun

22-05-2025

HYPNOTIST Fraser Penman thought Derren Brown was faking it - until he had a hairy moment when he copied the TV sensation's techniques and made someone pass out in a barber shop.
The 30-year-old from East Kilbride, was training to be a primary school teacher when he became 'fascinated' with the Londoner's mind control techniques.
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Fraser Penman, who is known as The Imaginator.
Credit: ANDY BARR
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Fraser as a youngster growing up in East Kilbride with his big brother and poster for his new Edinburgh Fringe show.
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Fraser puts Scottish Sun man Harry in a trance to help him get over his fear of spiders.
Credit: ANDY BARR
And after becoming hooked on Derren's Channel 4 shows, including The Experiments and The Specials, he would discover first hand that the telly mentalist was the real deal.
He says: 'I've always been fascinated by Derren Brown - he has been a massive inspiration.
'I had no idea how he could influence the mind or change people's perception or the use of autogenics, which is a fancy way of saying a shift in mindset.
'He could make people believe or see or do the most incredible things simply by talking to them or looking at them.'
He adds: 'So I got intrigued and discovered that there was this thing called hypnosis. And like everybody else, I thought, there's no way this is true.
'That was until I took a deep dive into the neuroscience behind it and I fell in love with it and taught myself about hypnosis through books and DVDs, which I watched a thousand times.
'Then one day I was in the barber shop getting a haircut and they were speaking about hypnosis and I piped up 'I'm a hypnotist' even though I'd never hypnotised a person in my life.
'I repeated what I'd learned from the DVD and this person dropped like a fly, unconscious, right in front of me.
'Inside my head, I'm thinking, 'oh my goodness, this crap works'.
'I quickly counted to three and woke that person straight back up. But that was the turning point for me.'
Fraser now calls himself a psychological influencer and goes by the stage name Penman - The Imaginator, playing to audiences across the UK, US and beyond, while he will also be staging a special performance on Thursday May 29 at Alona Hotel by M&D's Theme Park in Lanarkshire.
But not only did hypnotism change his career path, he also credits it with saving his life.
Fraser, who grew up in the new town with folks Christne and Brian, both 63, and big brother Ross, 33, endured years of vicious bullying as a kid after being born with oculocutaneous albinism, which means he has no pigment in his skin and eyes.
He explains: 'As you can tell by the bright white hair, I am albino, but I have the most severe level of albinism which means I'm visually impaired and cannot see enough to drive.
'Growing up, kids can be cruel. I experienced both physical and mental bullying from the age of eight
'Then when I was 14 I was attacked by a group of youths and kicked down a flight of stairs.
'It was at that point I didn't want to be part of society anymore. I put on fake tan and dyed my hair jet black - basically, I wanted to be anyone but me.
'Being bullied for something that was outwith my control was really hard to accept. It never left me.'
He added: 'The reason I wanted to go into education was to make a difference for any other kids who were different.
'But then I was diagnosed dyslexic. It left me questioning, where do I belong in this life?
'I actually got so anxious and depressed that I was three days away from wanting to take my own life.
'But it was through the use of self-hypnosis that I gave myself one suggestion, which was 'you are enough.'
'The next day, I woke up, shaved off all my black hair, binned all my make-up and fake tan, walked to the shop in shorts, not caring how pale I looked.
'Fast forward six years, I'm now a certified clinical hypnotherapist, have performed in America and about to do a full run at the Edinburgh Fringe.'
It's unlikely Fraser would ever be bullied now as he has sprouted into a lean, 6ft 5in, fighting machine as he's also a black belt in Taekwondo.
Although he insists he's never had to use martial arts in self-defence, joking: 'There's no need to lift my hands. All I have to do is just click my fingers and put someone to sleep.'
So can he hypnotise anyone?
He replies: 'Yes, everybody can be hypnotized, it's just to what degree.
'They say younger people are more susceptible to it, but I've had 70 year old women giving it laldy on the stage.
THE IMAGINATOR PUTS SUN MAN HARRY UNDER HIS SPELL
HARRY is more of a Marv when it comes to spiders - emitting a piercing scream like the Home Alone villain during his close encounter with a tarantula.
Actually he ends up turning the air blue when asked to get up close to a hairy arachnid at Amazonia in the M&D's theme park.
Scottish Sun reporter Harry Williamson, 25, says: 'My normal stress level when it comes to spiders is around seven out of 10.
'The closer I got to the tarantula I would say that shot up to about nine out of 10.'
But with a snap of Fraser's fingers, and some words of encouragement, Harry was then asked to pretend he was tickling the eight legged beastie like it was his bestie.
Suddenly he is no more afraid of the Mexican Fireleg Tarantula than a domestic moggy.
Fraser asks: 'And how do you feel now?'
Harry beams: 'I feel fine. No fear at all.'
But all that was about to change in an instant, with another click of the fingers, Harry is back in Marv mode again, jumping out of his skin, while screeching: 'Ya b*****d!'
So what did it really feel like to be under the spell of Penman - The Imaginator?
Harry explains: 'It was weird but everything that was done felt like instinct, as if it was the right thing to do.'
Fraser adds: 'You never do something under hypnosis that you don't want to. But Harry will feel very relaxed now. Put it this way, he will sleep well tonight.'
Unless he dreams about big hairy spiders.
'Being hypnotised feels like the air that you breathe. There's no pixie dust, magic potions or lotions. It's different for everybody. But the best way to describe it is like you're almost daydreaming.'
Fraser is glad he embraced his albinism as it also means with his build and shock of white hair, he really stands out amongst other stage hypnotists.
He says: 'Someone once told me, to be successful, you either have to be the first to do something or do something different. So why not be the most unique?
'Long gone are the days of fitting in society. I've decided standing out is pretty cool.'
Fraser is now determined to follow in Derren's footsteps, as he continues to grow his fanbase and reputation.
He says: 'Of course, I would love to be headlining in Vegas like Derren, but my main ambition is to put a modern twist on an age-old art.
'I want to make hypnosis and the psychology elements of what I do, approachable for all.
DO you have a fear of spiders or snakes?
If you do and want to beat it, then you can win a place at an EXCLUSIVE Scottish Sun event with Fraser Penman on May 29, from 10am to noon.
Fraser uses innovative visualisation techniques to change your mindset in just a matter of minutes.
By speaking to your subconscious on a deeper level, the certified hypnotherapist and mind reader can help you face your fears head on.
To be in with a chance of winning one of 25 pairs of tickets to the show, at the Alona Hotel, next door to Amazonia at M&Ds, Strathclyde Country Park, simply answer the following question
and tell us what you are afraid of.
What is the full name of the 2006 movie starring Samuel L Jackson?
A. SNAKES ON A PLANE
B. SNAKES ON A CHAIN
C. SNAKES ON A DRAIN
Email your answer – along with the thing you are afraid of – and your name, address and daytime contact number to [e-mail]
Please put FRASER PENMAN in the email subject header.
*Competition closes at midnight tonight. UK residents only, excluding any employees and their families or anyone professionally connected with this promotion. One entry per person. 25 winners will be selected at random from all entries received after the closing date. The prize is a pair of tickets to the Fraser Penman event on May 29, 10am-noon, at the Alona Hotel. Entrants must be over 18. No cash alternative will be offered. Prize is non-transferable. The Scottish Sun is under no liability whatsoever in connection with any loss, damage or injury which is suffered as a direct or indirect result of the prize. Usual rules apply. Editor's decision is final.
'The days of swinging a watch in someone's face while wearing a three piece suit are gone. I want to inspire people to believe in themselves and their dreams - to unleash the superhero within you.'
And his new show called You is all about that.
He says: 'This is something that's never been done before. It will be the biggest summer anthem party, without the drugs or alcohol, and taking hypnosis and mentalism and completely flipping it on its head.
'I wouldn't say I'm a poster boy for albinism, but I definitely want to inspire anybody who faced barriers in life as I did.'
*Penman – The Imaginator – YOU is on at The Gilded Balloon from July 30 to August 24.