In the world of magic, we often look to legends like Harry Houdini or modern icons like David Copperfield for inspiration. However, the latest sensation in the world of illusion doesn’t come from a grand stage in Las Vegas, but from the windy seaside town of Blackpool, England. On a recent episode of Little Big Shots, host Steve Harvey introduced Issy (Izzy), an 8-year-old girl whose wit is as sharp as her sleight of hand.
Dubbed a “world-class wizard,†Issy brought more than just tricks to the Hollywood stage; she brought a level of professional showmanship that left the audience—and a veteran entertainer like Harvey—completely flabbergasted.
From the moment she sat down, Issy charmed the crowd with her dry British humor. When asked if she liked her hometown, she candidly replied, “No… it’s so windy!†Her motivation for practicing magic was simple yet profound: she loves “the wows†she gets out of people.
To achieve these “wows,†Issy prepared a complex routine involving three of her favorite things: magic, reading, and a bit of mentalism. She presented three books, including Steve Harvey’s own bestseller, Jump. After having Steve verify that every page in the books was unique, the stage was set for a display of mind-reading that defied logic.
The first miracle occurred when Issy asked Steve to choose a random number between 1 and 191 (the total page count of his book). Steve settled on page 125. She then instructed him to pick a single word from that page and read it aloud to the auditorium.
With a mischievous smile, Issy gestured toward a small blackboard that had been sitting on the stage since before the show began. As she turned the board around, the word “RADIOâ€Â was written in bold chalk. The studio erupted. Steve Harvey, usually never at a loss for words, could only stare in disbelief. How could an 8-year-old have predicted a random word from a random page of a book she didn’t even own?
Issy wasn’t finished. For her grand finale, she moved from mentalism to card magic. She fanned out a deck of cards, ensuring Steve saw they were all different, and asked him to touch the back of one. He chose a card, memorized it, and kept it hidden from everyone.
“Would you be impressed if I told you your card was printed on my t-shirt?†Issy asked playfully.
Steve, skeptical but intrigued, replied, “I’d be beyond impressed.â€
Without missing a beat, Issy unzipped her outer jacket to reveal a custom t-shirt. Printed clearly across the chest was a large image of the Six of Hearts. The audience stood in a roar of applause as Steve Harvey walked off-stage in mock defeat, shouting, “You’re a bad little girl!â€
What makes Issy a “Little Big Shot†isn’t just the mechanics of her tricks; it’s her poise. She commanded the stage with an ease that suggested years of experience. Her ability to lead a celebrity like Steve Harvey through a scripted routine while maintaining her “magician’s persona†is a testament to her dedication to the craft.
As Issy returns to Blackpool, she leaves behind a legacy of wonder in Hollywood. She proved that you don’t need a wand or a Hogwarts letter to be a wizard—all you need is a sharp mind, a deck of cards, and the confidence to make the world say “Wow.â€
You can read about the prediction, but seeing the look on Steve Harvey’s face when he sees that “Radio†blackboard is something you have to witness for yourself. Issy’s performance is a perfect blend of comedy and high-level illusion.
Click the link below to watch Issy prove that she is the next big name in the world of magic: