Derren Brown’s latest TV stunts have received complaints from viewers and regulator Ofcom has become involved over two of his live shows in which he put the limits of social compliance to the test. In Pushed to the Edge he seems to convince a member of the public that they have pushed someone else to their death and Something Wicked this Way Comes, which TV channel bosses admitted to airing before the watershed, shows the illusionist appearing to suffocate himself with a plastic bag.

Whether you think him a magician or a mad man, he will soon deliver mind-altering and extraordinary happenings live at the Wycombe Swan with his new Miracle tour, which he says gets to the heart of what matters to him.

Miracle is his seventh live show but promises to be different and a little deeper.

Derren explains: “This is the first show that is about things I find important. Others have had autobiographical bits in them, some more authentic than others, but this one is about things I find important.

“It has a philosophical underpinning I really care about. It’s ultimately, I suppose, about what makes us happier.”

During his career he has delved deep into the human psyche, playing Russian Roulette live, convincing middle-managers to commit an armed robbery in the street, leading the nation in a séance, sticking viewers to their sofas, successfully predicting the National Lottery, motivating a shy man to land a packed passenger plane at 30,000 feet, exposing psychic and faith-healing charlatans, and hypnotising a man to assassinate Stephen Fry.

Despite this stunning display of skill, Derren admits to having to refine his performance since its debut, he says: “As there’s no way of testing how an audience will respond without having an audience, I just had to get up there and do it on the first night and see how it went. It went very well, which was a huge relief.

“It still needed a lot of work and after a week or two of shifting and polishing things, the show felt right. Since then we’ve continued to work on it and now it feels terrific.

“It’s a bold and ‘ballsy’ second half, as all my favourite things are. Once I realised it was going to work well - as it could have failed flat on its face - it’s been a joy to work on theatrically and get to a great place.”

This is certainly a show not to miss as Derren plans to take a break from touring, in the UK at least, for the foreseeable future.

Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe, Monday, February 29 until Saturday, March 5, 8pm. Details: 01494 512000, wycombeswan.co.uk