Russian Roulette outrage

Channel 4 was accused of 'irresponsible' broadcasting last night over its Russian Roulette show.

Viewers will see illusionist Derren Brown put a loaded pistol to his head and pull the trigger.

The programme will go out 'as live' - with a short time delay so that if something goes wrong the screen can be quickly blanked.

It will be filmed abroad because of Britain's strict gun laws.

Brown, 32, believes by using 'sophisticated psychological techniques' he will know which chamber the bullet is in.

But last night, a senior police officer warned that the stunt glamorises guns and children would try to copy him.

Rick Naylor, Chief Superintendent of South Yorkshire Police and vice-president of the Police Superintendents' Association, said the show is irresponsible.

'I'm flabbergasted,' he added. 'It sends entirely the wrong message.

'This is just a stunt. You're going to get copycat kids doing this and we're possibly going to end up with some tragedies.'

But Brown, from Purley, Surrey, insisted:

'It does not glamorise gun violence. We are dealing with it in the most serious and strenuous way possible.

'Handguns are illegal in this country. If anyone does get access to a handgun, there could not be any more warnings.

'It is so clear throughout the show. I just don't think people react like that.'

In all, 12,000 people applied to Channel 4 to load the gun and these were whittled down to five.

Today, they and Brown will be flown to a secret location abroad. On Sunday, he will name who will load the Smith and Wesson handgun.

Explaining how the stunt will work, the former law student said: 'It's all about picking the right person, the person I feel most comfortable with.

'Having said that, there is a limit to what I can do and there are no 100 per cent guarantees at all.'

Brown will ask his volunteer, who will be behind bulletproof glass, to load the gun and count from one to six, the number of chambers in the revolver.