“An astounding entertainer who fuses unbelievable showmanship and extraordinary skill with an encyclopedic knowledge of deception.”

Described as “a master of the deceptive arts” and hailed as a genius by Derren Brown, it was a childhood moment of “injustice” that drove James to a lifelong study of criminology and the psychology of thieves. He is now without doubt one of the most unusual and fascinating performers in the world today, using digital dexterity and mental agility to entertain and enlighten all kinds of audiences with unforgettable performances featuring scams, theft and fraud.

His one-man show, James Freedman: Man of Steal won critical acclaim at The Edinburgh Festival and enjoyed a sell-out run at the Menier Chocolate Factory Theatre before transferring to Trafalgar Studios in London’s West End. He has entertained at the London Palladium, 10 Downing Street and has appeared by Royal Command on several occasions regularly stealing the show (and almost everything else) by showing just how easily he can pick a pocket, clone a credit card or hack a phone.

James presented a regular slot on the Channel 5 series Police 5, demonstrating the latest scams and how to avoid them. Other TV appearances include This Morning, CNN International, The Wright Stuff, ITV News, Sky News and BBC Breakfast.

Behind the camera, James also works as a specialist adviser and has taught secrets of deception to Helena Bonham-Carter, Sir Ben Kingsley, Ian McKellen, Edward Norton, Rachel Weisz and other actors. He was a special adviser on the hit BBC drama Hustle and his work won an Intermedia-Globe-Silver Award at the WorldMediaFestival.