Thomas Solomon is widely recognised as the world's greatest escape artist. The American is filming his first ever UK show for Channel 4's Magic Month that will showcase his extraordinary range of talents. But as Solomon reveals, he didn't exactly become an overnight sensation.

"I can't really remember a time when I wasn't fascinated by locks, even when I was very young. But it all really began when I got a job at a locksmiths aged 13 or 14. I was hired to sit in the store and answer the phone when the owner had to go out on service calls. While I was there, I had access to a workshop and all kinds of locks sitting around the store, and I essentially spent my summer picking locks, taking them apart, learning how they worked, and figuring out different things I could do with them. I found all the manufacturers flaws in all kinds of brands, and learned about everything from low to high security locks."

It's not just a matter of knowing your way around the odd lock, as Solomon is at pains to point out. "Physical fitness is probably as important as knowing how to pick the locks. I run six nights a week, do weight training, and yoga to keep flexible - you need flexibility to do any of these escapes. Anybody who's had a pair of handcuffs on behind their back knows that your flexibility is compromised, so you need to be able to push your arms down over your feet and bring them in front of you, or bring them over your head."

So if it's all about knowledge of locks, physical fitness and flexibility, it's not really magic, is it? "There are definitely elements of magic involved. Put it this way: Escape artistry uses the psychology of magic - the way in which you use spectators on the stage, the techniques you do in allowing yourself to be fastened - there's a lot of the psychological misdirection that's used here that's also popular in magic. In terms of tricks and things, though, there's hardly any of that in escape artistry."

The most audacious of Solomon's escapes are the ones that take place underwater. "They're very in-your-face and upfront. Yeah, I suppose they're dangerous." He can hold his breath for over two minutes, but usually manages to escape and get to the surface in less than that. So does he ever get scared? "Oh yeah, I always feel scared. But it's not the kind of fear you have when you don't know what you're doing. I know what I'm doing, but when you go underwater, especially in a lake or a river, there are other elements I can't control. Even with someone who's 100 per cent prepared, nature has a way of throwing things in your path."

There are other risks involved in escapology, too. "Yeah, I've had quite a few injuries," he say's matter-of-factly. "I've broken all of the fingers on my left hand, two on my right hand, I've broken a wrist, broken an ankle, broken a foot. I've perforated an eardrum and didn't have hearing in that ear for a year, and I've broken capillaries in my eyes from hanging upside down." So the advice would probably be not to try this at home?

"No way! These aren't tricks. It's not something to be taken lightly. It's a skill that you have to work on with patience and dedication. You don't start by handcuffing yourself and diving in The Thames. You learn to pick locks first, then try it with your hands in cuffs, then try it with your hands underwater in a bath and so on. Maybe then you try it in a pool, with loads of friends keeping watch. There's a general progression before you would ever, ever do something in a river or lake."

Are there any specific escapes Solomon would love to try one day? "I'd love to up the ante and do things in unusual locations. I've always wanted to do an underwater escape in Loch Ness. The interesting mystique of the location, and the beautiful scenery all helps make the escape even more exciting." Plus they'd be able to call it: 'Och, Unlock the Lock in the Loch'. No? Just an idea.

And what can we expect from Solomon's forthcoming TV special for Channel 4? "It should be a highly unusual show. Each one of the escapes being done on the show has never been seen on television, from the bring-your-own locks segment to the underwater safe escape. We have a very cool escape at an S&M club, and some interesting street lock performances where we interact with people in the street who may have a lock on their briefcase, car, laptop or whatever."

Sorry, an underwater safe escape? "Yeah, we have someone who's donating a safe to us, and I will climb into the safe, the door will be closed, the dial will be spun, it will be hoisted into the air and lowered into about 30ft of water. Then I'll do the escape - hopefully!"