Richard Young broadcast the original “The Magicians’ Podcast” from 2014 for 100 episodes, interviewing the best names in magic, before resting the format for a period. Two years ago, the revived series ventured back in 2023 as the renamed “The Magicians’ Podcast Network,” and Young was now joined by co-host Hudson (Alan) for the main show called “What’s going on?”. Hudson had previously featured on a segment of the later editions of the original show.
Although I had been aware of this podcast for some time, I finally had the opportunity to subscribe this month (Aug 2025) and listen daily. Both hosts are high-profile with many achievements in magic. I’ve been lucky enough to see both perform live on stage and have huge respect for them. Alan has also been supportive of the Magic Seats website, and I was able to interview him back in November 2020!
Young is a broadcast journalist as well as a magician and is part of “Young & Strange”, a stage illusion double act that is famed for touring the world and visiting arenas. I was lucky to see a UK performance of “Champions of Magic” a few years back. Stage magic and big box illusions are a personal favourite of mine to watch and I have much respect for artists in this field. Hudson, meanwhile, is the funny man, injecting comedy and is known for many TV appearances as a solo act and also as part of a newer comedy magic double act, “Hudson & Hudson,” with his wife, Kat Hudson. I do appreciate his humour.
The podcast has regular weekly content which comprises of 4 current shows with regular updated episodes and then a 5th show that is “The Magicians’ Podcast” with the older back catalogue of the original 100 shows.
The main flag ship show of the channel is “What’s Going On?” with Young and Hudson, where they chat with fellow magicians, and some 80+ episodes are available at the time of writing. Podcast content also includes “Specials” to cover events such as Magic Live and FISM, which has insider coverage. Other shows include podcasts by Neb and Harry – “Face the Magic” which is more occasional content, and Alex McAleer presenting “Through The Magic Of Television”.
With over 330+ episodes available to listen to in total, I have spent the last two weeks working my way through some of the available new and older show episodes while preparing this write up. Most of the review is based on the “What’s going on show?” with some 15 episodes listened to so far. The remaining 5 episodes sampling single episodes of some of the other shows.
This review is based on the Apple Podcast version of the show, although I am likely to switch my subscription from Apple Podcasts (which is £12.99 a month) to Spotify (£9.99 a month) and I will document my reasoning a couple of paragraphs down. Subscriptions on Apple apps and devices tend to cost more as Apple charges more fees, which are then of course have to be passed on as a business. To subscribe, you can either use Apple Podcasts or Spotify (please see links at bottom of page).
“I’m very aware how some feel about paying for a podcast, but give us a try and make up your own mind. Just give us a try…“
Richard Young – The Magicians’ Podcast Network
I personally have not got an issue paying for quality content and in this instance feel I am getting value for money as I wish to listen to all the shows and episodes. For some it is a more contentious issue, but the advantage in this case is as the content is behind a paywall, guests are then more likely to open up, as listeners are most likely part of the magic community. The subscription then helps pay for guests, marketing, quality of product and all presenters are paid. The money also helps to support production values which are excellent. Without the charge, the show would likely not exist as it would be hard to achieve the same level of quality and attract hosts/guests and discussions would have to be guarded. Could a cheaper version with ads help attract more listeners and/or assist with retention, I don’t know but expect it will have been considered and reasons exist.
It should also be noted that while all subscriptions provide audio, if you want video, sign up via Spotify as the platform also supports the video for the price. When I chatted with Young via Instagram while doing my review research, he also explained that Apple unfortunately does not currently support video and they (Apple) take a higher percentage, hence the price difference. Young openly admitting Spotify is the all round better deal at £3 less for podcast subscribers. He was complimentary though of how Apple divides the shows out and the general layout is good on that platform. Certainly that has been my experience and I note that this platform (Apple) also offers a three day free trial before the subscription starts charging. I took advantage of the offer but could not find the same on Spotify.
To aid my review, I should make it clear that Young answered some questions to help maintain accuracy of my research and the review has remained independent. On learning that my subscription was via Apple, he kindly provided some video episodes to allow me to compare against audio episodes. A Tom Brace video episode was fun and enhanced the viewing experience as able to see the facial reactions/body language during guests/host interactions. Definitely, I will be swapping my sub from Apple to Spotify when the current month is up. Watching the show “Through The Magic Of Television“ is particularly well enhanced with the video version.
The platform is also ad free as a subscription service. Some early episodes feature a short ad but after feedback and listening to their subscribers they stopped advertising. An example that they are keen to receive constructive criticism and encourage interaction via their email or instagram messaging. I always received very quick responses to my enquiries and it was immediately obvious that they wish to make the best podcast possible. In his own words, Young said to me “Feel free to be critical, we won’t take things personally as that is what we do” which again reinforces the fact that they are building a network that they want their listeners to enjoy. Young takes a similar principle with those he interviews to make sure he achieves “light and shade”, so that guests are encouraged to talk about learnings and mistakes as well as success. A balance of subject matter to enhance the listening, so that it is interesting.
So, what did I think? And will I remain a subscriber after completing this review?
The “What’s Going On?” show format is a lot of fun and the banter between Young and Hudson is a big draw for what is effectively the flag ship show. They’re two very interesting hosts who bring different elements to the episodes while sharing their passion for magic. Throughout the 83 recorded episodes (to date), they chat with high-profile magicians, covering a wide range of topics from questions and discussions to serious subjects and humour.
The guests on the “What’s Going On?” show are a who’s who of all the AAA talent in magic. While I still have a lot of episodes to watch or listen to, I particularly enjoyed that chat with Marvin Berglas. He was insightful about how he started Marvin’s magic. The Colin Cloud interview spoke a lot about Las Vegas and his show with Shin Lim, and the Craig Petty interview was also good. There were almost too many highlights, and I highly recommend listening to them all. Most guest chats delve into conversations that provide exclusive insights not available anywhere else. The current Justin Flom interview, which was just posted this week, discusses exposure and is quite a good listen. It’s a great example of Young and Hudson not being afraid to voice their concerns while having an intelligent and challenging discussion with a guest. They demonstrated their ability to change tack as needed, unlike the previous week’s interview with Preston Nyman, which was more jovial. They were also incredibly respectful, listening and then challenging fairly, and being open when they disagreed. As Justin Flom is a hot topic currently after Magic Live and the whole topic of exposure, they really did appreciate his participation and thanked him at the start and end.
As for the other shows, “Special” episode wise I selected the “Magic Live Report with Lance Rich” for my review. These special shows are hosted by Richard, who invites a guest contributor to discuss a specific topic. The show was topical, as it covered a recently held event. It’s a great option if you missed an event or want to hear someone else’s perspective. The episode was wide-ranging, featuring honest feedback about Magic Live and broader discussions about “The Masked Magician” and “Las Vegas.” As usual, the podcast provides interesting snippets of information that you might not otherwise know. For instance, they shared some exciting news about the forthcoming Ehrlich Brothers’ Las Vegas show.
For the “Through The Magic Of Television” show which features Alex McAleer, I selected the episode which included guest Steve Faulkner and I watched via video. They discussed and reviewed “Derek DelGaudio’s In & Of Itself” as a rewatch. I found this episode challenging because I hadn’t watched the show being reviewed and I will need to revisit it after watching the actual show or film. This is no fault of the podcast and I then selected an audio episode about “The Masked Magician” that I was familiar with. Alex was joined by guest Barry Jones and my learning on this occasion was that to fully enjoy the episodes of this show, it’s helpful to have seen the content being reviewed beforehand. That’s on us the viewer and not the show.
For the “Neb and Harry – Face The Magic” show, I listened to the first episode when they visited a psychic. It was an enjoyable listen, and I think some other reviews rate this particular show as a bit sweary. Personally, I don’t mind swearing, and if anything, I did not think it was excessive. For anyone with an issue, you can always skip a show’s episode.
The show presentation was almost documentary in style and very well structured. The narration was excellent and descriptive, which helped you clearly understand what was happening. The episodes of this particular show range from under an hour to two hours or more, depending on the subject being explored. I am looking forward to listening to more of Neb and Harry’s show. A great addition to the podcast shows.
Overall, I’m very much enjoying the podcast so far and cannot wait to continue working through shows and episodes. My favourite show is “What’s going on?” with Young and Hudson and would appreciate a spin off with just the two of them as well. A website could also help The Magicians’ Podcast Network better highlight the available shows, content, and subscriptions in a more easily consumed format (rather than via the Apple or Spotify page), effectively marketing the show and featuring up-to-date offers and information. Or the Facebook page could be enhanced, and while I appreciate reasons why not to advertise at the end of a podcast who will be on the following week, if the Facebook page or a website indicated who they may be interviewing, we could send in questions and comments to be included in shows and increase interaction before shows are recorded.
Having worked out that I’ve only listened to about 6% of the content despite listening to around 18 hours of shows, I still have a lot to catch up on. It’ll take a while to get through, and I’ll likely keep going back to earlier podcast episodes. To subscribe, click the links below take you to the content to browse and sign up. I highly recommend it, and despite finishing this review, I’ll remain a subscriber because too many episodes have caught my eye.
Thank you to Young and Hudson and all at The Magicians’ Podcast Network.
Readers should note that this review is independent. While I contacted Young for comment, it was for research and fact-checking purposes to ensure accuracy. I am a new subscriber, and the review was not sponsored. The product sampled was the audio and video available to paying subscribers. If you have any feedback about this review, feel free to comment below. You could also recommend your favourite shows to others.
Apple Podcast users
Spotify users
