Connor Murphy's 'fake shirt trick' goes viral: Here's why the YouTube prank is back in spotlight

A nearly decade-old YouTube prank by fitness influencer Connor Murphy is enjoying a fresh wave of attention after clips of his famous "fake shirt trick" resurfaced across social media, leaving many viewers wondering whether the seemingly impossible stunt is real.

The original video, uploaded in 2017, shows Murphy approaching strangers while wearing an unzipped hoodie over what appears to be a brightly coloured T-shirt. After asking them to guess the colour of the shirt underneath, he dramatically opens the hoodie to reveal he isn't wearing a shirt at all.

The illusion works because Murphy carefully paints his chest to match the hoodie and uses strategically placed fabric to create the appearance of a T-shirt beneath it. The visual trick catches most participants off guard, making the prank one of his most successful and widely shared videos.

The clip has accumulated more than 60 million views on YouTube and has recently found a new audience through reposts on TikTok, Instagram Reels and X, where many users are seeing it for the first time. Others have been searching online to understand exactly how the illusion was created.

Murphy, who built his online following through bodybuilding content, public pranks and fitness videos, became one of YouTube's most recognisable fitness creators during the late 2010s. The "fake shirt trick" remains his most iconic upload and is frequently cited by fans as one of the platform's classic prank videos.

The renewed interest has also sparked conversations about Murphy's wider online career, with users revisiting his older content and discussing how much YouTube's prank culture has evolved over the past decade.

While the stunt may look impossible at first glance, there is no camera trick involved. Instead, it relies on clever body paint, careful positioning and the element of surprise, ingredients that have helped keep Connor Murphy's "fake shirt trick" circulating online years after it was first uploaded.

The renewed interest in Murphy's viral prank comes amid widespread reports surrounding the fitness influencer's reported death in Thailand.

According to multiple reports, the 32-year-old was found dead after an incident at a lake in Samut Prakan province, near Bangkok. Witnesses told local authorities that Murphy had been behaving erratically before entering the water. Police said he reportedly fled from officers, swam into the lake and disappeared beneath the surface. Rescue divers later recovered his body after an extensive search.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, while an autopsy and toxicology examination are expected to determine the official cause of death.

As news of the reported drowning spread, Murphy's "fake shirt trick" video resurfaced across social media, introducing a new generation of viewers to the prank that helped make him one of YouTube's most recognisable fitness creators. The clip, which has amassed more than 60 million views, continues to attract millions of views as fans revisit one of his most memorable uploads.