Britain’s Got Talent winner Harry Moulding has opened up about his journey from performing tricks for classmates on the school bus to winning one of Britain’s biggest television competitions and performing for King Charles.
In a new interview with BBC Bitesize, the Blackpool-based magician reflected on his early days in magic, the importance of perseverance and why remaining willing to learn has played such an important role in his success.
Moulding’s life changed dramatically on May 31, 2025, when the then-24-year-old magician was crowned the winner of Britain’s Got Talent. His victory earned him the opportunity to appear at the Royal Variety Performance and introduced his magic to a huge television audience.
But his journey began much earlier.
Inspired by a Magician at School
According to Moulding, his fascination with magic began when he was just 10 years old after seeing a magician perform at his primary school.
The experience made such an impression that his mother bought him a magic set for Christmas. Before long, magic had become much more than a casual hobby.
By Year 7, Moulding was trying his developing skills on other students while riding the school bus. Like virtually every magician learning the craft, those early performances didn't always work.
Moulding told BBC Bitesize that his classmates would sometimes catch him because he simply wasn't very good yet.
Instead of quitting, he continued practicing.
It wasn't until around Year 11 that he felt his classmates really began to become impressed with his magic.
That persistence would eventually become one of the defining themes of his career.
Creating His Own Opportunity
As a teenager, Moulding took an unusually ambitious step toward becoming a professional magician.
Unable to find the work-experience opportunity he wanted in the UK, the 14-year-old wrote to the owner of a magic and illusion bar in Spain and explained that he wanted to pursue magic professionally.
The letter resulted in an audition and a one-week work experience opportunity with the cast.
He returned for two weeks when he was 15 and then for a month at 16. Eventually, Moulding joined the theatre full-time and would spend six years living and performing in Spain.
The experience gave the young magician something difficult to recreate through practice alone: repeated experience performing for real audiences.
Almost Talking Himself Out of BGT
Despite years of professional experience, Moulding revealed that self-doubt nearly prevented his Britain’s Got Talent journey from happening.
After applying for the show, he began thinking about everything that could potentially go wrong during his performance.
A conversation with a friend helped change his perspective.
Moulding made a list of the possible negatives but also considered what could happen if things went well—even if he only made it through the first round.
The potential opportunities outweighed the risks.
He auditioned.
That decision ultimately led to a memorable semifinal performance, a Golden Buzzer from KSI and, eventually, Moulding being named the winner of Britain’s Got Talent 2025.
From the School Bus to King Charles
Since his BGT victory, Moulding's magic career has continued to grow.
According to the BBC interview, he has now performed for several well-known figures, including rapper Aitch, former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and King Charles III.
It's an extraordinary progression for someone whose first audiences included classmates watching him practice newly learned tricks on their school bus.
Moulding also credits growing up in Blackpool with helping shape his ambitions. With the city's long history of live entertainment and variety performance, he was surrounded by examples of entertainers who had gone on to achieve national recognition.
“Remaining Teachable”
Perhaps the most valuable part of Moulding's BBC interview isn't about winning a television competition at all.
It's his advice about continuing to learn.
“Remaining teachable and being willing to learn is massive,” Moulding told BBC Bitesize.
He pointed to hard work, discipline and practice as skills that extend far beyond magic. Progress doesn't necessarily happen immediately, but consistently putting time and effort into developing a skill can eventually produce results.
It's a lesson that will sound familiar to magicians.
Every professional magician was once the beginner whose trick didn't work. Every polished routine started as something that needed rehearsal, adjustment and experience in front of an audience.
For Moulding, that process took him from performing tricks for classmates, to seeking out his own work experience overseas, to six years of professional performance in Spain—and eventually to the Britain’s Got Talent stage.
His advice to his younger self is equally simple: enjoy the journey and continue putting one foot in front of the other.
Considering where that first step eventually took him, it seems particularly appropriate.
Source: BBC Bitesize, “BGT winner Harry Moulding on the magic of school, perseverance and performing for King Charles,” published September 2026.
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