A book of photos released by Banksy’s former agent, Steve Lazarides, claims to show the artist at work, although none of the images showed his face. But it prompted yet more speculation – and intrepid photographers, both amateur and professional, trying to capture him on film.
Robert Del Naja, of Bristol hip-hop group Massive Attack, has also been linked to the artist The vocalist, better known as 3D, has denied this, although he claimed to know the identity of the “real” Banksy, referring to him as a friend.
Could that friend be Neil Buchanan, host of ITV show Art Attack?
Buchanan was forced to deny any links to Banksy after a suggestion that he was the face behind the spray cans took off on social media.
Another possibility is that Banksy is actually not one person, but many – operating as an art collective.
Of course, all of the above could be false trails, in the hope of throwing the wider media off the scent.
Banksy’s notoriously tight-lipped PR reps refuse to be drawn on his identity. And those in the know are keeping shtum.
