Paul McKenna became a household name with his hypnotic TV show – but he left it behind in order to help people as a “modern psychologist”. 

The London-born presenter had the most watched British entertainment show in 1993 and has since sold tens of millions of self-help books around the world. 

A man with a varied career path, Mr McKenna started as a DJ in local radio before he took up a side gig as a hypnotist. 

He told The Anton Savage Show he was having a “very bad day” when he interviewed a local hypnotist. 

“He said, ‘Rather than you interview me, what if I did it to you’,” he explained. 

“I relaxed very sceptically but then suddenly I felt very calm and peaceful and thinking clearly.” 

Mr McKenna began taking gigs as a hypnotist – while also becoming a DJ on BBC Radio 1. 

Eventually, however, he took the path of a hypnotist and started The Hypnotic World of Paul McKenna. 

“I loved using hypnosis for comedy and fun,” he said. 

“The focus was on getting people to do mad things – to dance like a ballerina or think a broom was their favourite supermodel and chat it up. 

“I think it was really sort of harmless fun – especially if you look at reality shows of today where people are put in little boxes with snakes and asked to eat all sorts of strange things.” 

From hypnosis to psychology

Despite the scale of his hypnotic fame, Mr McKenna eventually sought out a life change in order to help others. 

“Even though I was selling out theatres and on television, I was also one-on-one helping people,” he said. 

“I thought people are not going to take me seriously as a therapist and clinician if I’m getting them to dance like a ballerina.” 

In the early 2000s, Mr McKenna shifted his career fully towards “modern psychology”, delivering one-on-one counselling and group sessions. 

He eventually wrote the book How to Change Your Life in Seven Days, which became an instant hit. 

“I’m more of a talker than a writer, but people seemed to like it because I wrote popular psychology,” he said. 

“My publisher said, ‘You’re not going anywhere’.” 

Mr McKenna’s latest book Success for Life is available now. 

Learn more about Mr McKenna’s book and listen back here: