We uncover the premise to the illusionist’s latest TV spectacle
The illusionist/ psychologist/ mentalist isn’t speaking an obscure Bavarian dialect while promoting his new series - the whole thing makes a lot more sense when you watch it in reverse.
The slightly scary advert above has been playing on Channel 4 for a few weeks now, in order to draw attention to Derren Brown’s latest TV show ‘The Events’, which starts at 9pm on the 9th September (yes, that’s 9pm on 9/9/9).
Through repeated viewings, we’ve tried to pick up on the dozens of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it-moments (the writing on the front of the lorry, the numbers on the lamp post, the ‘zero’ on the back of the man hailing a taxi), while trying to ensure that we are not subliminally tricked into buying tickets for Derren Brown tours for the rest of our natural lives.
We were particularly intrigued by the backwards Manchester Utd billboard, advertising retsehcnaMdetinU.com. As expected, it leads to a backwards Red Devils homepage, which appears as meaningless as the other website in the advert, stucktomysofa.com.
Aroused further by ROM’s curiosity, we were utterly puzzled by the link to the current Premier League champions, until we considered the slogan written on the bus in the advert: “It Will Be You”. After some searching, we found itwillbeyou.info, which appears to offer a valid description of the events Brown has been organising for the past year:
Event 1
Derren Brown will take on Manchester United in a Football game. At kick-off all of the Man U players will not be able to move and Derren Brown will have a free run at scoring against Man U.
Event 2All the viewers at home will be under the same spell as the Man U team, however they will not be able to get off their sofa’s when instructed to try, and will probably be eating a Pizza.
Event 3One audience member will win a large sum of money betting on a live roulette wheel. They will be betting on either Red or Black and doubling their bet with the winnings each time.
Event 4This is why you are here now! You will buy a lottery ticket using the 5 numbers below and have to guess the last one. This will assure you get 5 out of 6 numbers on the lottery and reduces your jackpot winning chance to 1 in 49.
It might be a chance to see Wayne Rooney and co brainwashed, it may be an opportunity for us all to win big on the lottery, and it could all be a deliberate red herring. Either way, we’re totally sold and have already applied for tickets…
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11 responses so far
1 Jay // Aug 28, 2009 at 1:23 pm
it says its on friday 11th september in the advert , not 9/9/09
2 Ryan Bailey // Aug 28, 2009 at 1:35 pm
On which advert does it say that, Jay?
3 Jay // Aug 28, 2009 at 4:03 pm
http://derrenbrown.channel4.com/video.shtml
u can also check the C4 listings
4 simon // Aug 31, 2009 at 8:14 pm
they are doing the shows on the Wednesdays and a follow up show on the friday SO you are both right
5 lolcatz // Sep 1, 2009 at 1:26 pm
they’re doing a 10minute live stunt on wednesday (090909) and then it will be followed by four 1 hour programmes each friday from the 11th.
He has already started though. This weekend he predicted the correct score in the Man U match!! Was unbelievable to watch the game, and see that he was right!
6 ididabadmurder // Sep 1, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Yeah I have to say I was pretty amazed at his score prediction, because he had to get it right, and well, true to form, he did!
7 Sabrina // Sep 1, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Even more impressing as that site he made the prediction on a) the score right and b) was not only put up after the match.
I can’t wait to see what he has in store next.
8 Myra // Sep 1, 2009 at 6:07 pm
I saw that prediction site before the match and didnt really think much of it! But when my bf freaked at the score… (an unfortunate arsenal fan) i remembered Derren’s prediction and freaked out!!!!! that man is not normal! i cant wait for the events…..
9 darkedave // Sep 2, 2009 at 2:23 am
I saw he had predicted the score and thought it was a load of rubbish. I was so shocked he was right! Next time he predicts something I am putting money on it!
10 Ryan Bailey // Sep 2, 2009 at 8:57 am
Spooky stuff. Did he make the Manchester Utd prediction on TV? I completely missed that.
11 Duggles // Sep 2, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Yeah I was impressed by the score prediction, I’m looking forward to seeing this on TV.
Ryan: it was on a website:
http://www.snoitciderpserocsnerred.co.uk/
You had to follow clues to find it.