Johnny Ball has been inspiring people in math and science for over 47 years. He began as a successful comedian, then changed tack completely. He wrote and presented the children’s education show Think of a Number for the BBC in 1978, which won a BAFTA. Numerous other seasons related to science, math, and engineering followed. He also wrote and produced five educational stage musicals, and his lectures showcase the sheer wonder of mathematics. The first part of his autobiography, My Previous Life in Comedy, was released in March 2025 and a sequel called Stories That Must Be Told! came out in March 2026. His comments are from a conversation with Vanessa Armstrong.
Where did you catch the magic bug? Mathematics is magic, it really is. And I’m a lover of mathematics, and it’s only mathematical magic that I do, where the maths always makes the trick work, not sleight of hand or anything like that. And I never perform as a magician.
Favorite magic trick? There are so many, so many. And the last thing a magician ever does is show people how to do the trick. But I’m in mathematics, and I always show them how to do the trick. So that’s the difference.