Tom Binns / Characters / Ian D. Montfort

Spirit Medium — The other side is engaged, please hold

IAN D.
MONTFORT

Sunderland's premier spirit medium: a camp, pseudo-psychic who blends genuine mentalism with a merciless satire of the spiritualist industry — created and performed by Tom Binns.

  • Created byTom Binns
  • OccupationPsychic medium (results may vary; they don't)
  • MethodReal psychological illusion, razor-sharp crowd work, spiritual guesswork
  • RecognitionBest International Act, NZ International Comedy Festival 2013; twice nominated, Adelaide Fringe Comedy Award
  • As seen onBBC Radio 2's Ian D. Montfort is Unbelievable, BBC One's Hospital People, the film Eaten by Lions
Photo slot — Ian D. Montfort
(images/ian-studio.jpg)
Ian D. Montfort, comedy psychic medium character by comedian Tom Binns Ian D. Montfort — Sensing something
About the character

The spirits are rarely wrong

Ian D. Montfort debuted in 2010 and quickly achieved global acclaim: a fake psychic performing real mentalism, reading actual audience minds while gently demolishing the entire spiritualist industry. Combining psychological illusion with some of the sharpest crowd work on the circuit, the act leaves audiences laughing and genuinely baffled in equal measure.

The character won Best International Act at the 2013 New Zealand International Comedy Festival, earned two Adelaide Fringe Comedy Award nominations, starred in the BBC Radio 2 series Ian D. Montfort is Unbelievable, and featured in the British comedy film Eaten by Lions. Live shows include Under Sciencey Conditions (Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh) and Touching the Dead.

The Spirit Comedium — Live at Brierley HillFull live mentalism set
Live Psychic Stand-UpFestival crowd work and revelations