Short answer: Young & Strange are Richard Young and Sam Strange, a British comedy magic and illusion double act from Oxford. Childhood friends who bonded over magic at age eight, they headline the touring show Champions of Magic, have appeared on Penn & Teller: Fool Us, and reached the semifinals of America's Got Talent Season 21 in 2026 with large-scale illusions and comedy.
Quick facts
| Members | Richard Young and Sam Strange |
| Style | Comedy magic and grand illusion |
| From | Oxford, England |
| Known for | Headlining Champions of Magic; viral video-bombing illusion |
| TV | Penn & Teller: Fool Us (Season 1, 2011); America's Got Talent Season 21 (2026): semifinalists |
| Other | Richard Young hosts The Magicians' Podcast |
From rivals to a double act
Richard Young and Sam Strange became friends at eight years old over a shared fascination with magic. As adults in Oxford, they ended up running almost identical magic businesses, competing for the same private and corporate events. Instead of staying rivals, they joined forces, staging their first show together in Oxfordshire in 2010 and then performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for four years.
Champions of Magic and the West End
The duo headline Champions of Magic, a touring magic production that regularly visits theatres across North America, and have performed in London's West End. They also went viral when they video-bombed the background of a live Sky News broadcast with one of their signature illusions.
TV appearances
- Penn & Teller: Fool Us (2011): appeared in the show's first season, though they didn't fool Penn & Teller.
- America's Got Talent (2026): brought grand illusions to the AGT stage, including a "world-first" illusion attempt in the quarterfinals, and reached the semifinals before being eliminated in the September 16 results show.
- Other TV credits include ITV's The Next Great Magician and NBC's Caught on Camera with Nick Cannon.
They were one of four magic acts on AGT 2026, alongside Geno Ploeger, Hundred Fingers, and Kameron Marshall.
Style: why their magic works
Young & Strange combine two things that rarely share a stage: big illusions and genuine comedy. The laughs lower the audience's guard, so the illusions land harder. It's stage magic at its most entertaining.
Inspired by Young & Strange? Start here
- Stage magic for large audiences
- Close-up vs parlour vs stage magic
- More TV magicians: magicians on AGT, BGT and Fool Us
Frequently asked questions
Who are Young & Strange?
A British comedy magic duo, Richard Young and Sam Strange, from Oxford. They headline Champions of Magic and were semifinalists on AGT Season 21 in 2026.
Did Young & Strange fool Penn & Teller?
No. They appeared on the first season of Penn & Teller: Fool Us in 2011 but did not fool the duo.
How far did Young & Strange get on AGT?
They reached the semifinals of Season 21 and were eliminated on September 16, 2026.
This profile is part of our series on magicians who have appeared on TV. Last updated September 2026.
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