Neil Buchanan now lives a very different life post Art Attack, and after being forced to deny he is mysterious artist Banksy, he revamped his image and reformed his heavy rock band
He was famed for his smooth brushstrokes and bringing art to life as her entertained millions of bored children after school.
But as TV legend Neil Buchanan celebrates his 70th birthday, he is refusing to grow old gracefully – he’s embraced his love of music and performing with heavy metal rock band. After ditching his legendary red jumper, he sports long locks that cover his forehead and rugged stubble.
While fans were secretly hoping he had been cryogenically frozen since the show ended almost 20 years ago and waiting to pick up his pencils again, Neil has been busy. Art Attack ran between 1990 and 2007, and was staple viewing for generations of young people and he inspired viewers young and old to get creative.
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After he left the programme behind, he kept painting – but was determined to pursue some of his other passions in life. After reforming Merseyside rockers Marseilles, Neil found himself the subject of a wild conspiracy theory. People believed he was the secretive artist Banksy – and the rumour mill started churning after a social media user noticed the elusive street artist’s work was popping up in the locations where Neil had performed with his band.
The theory gained traction due to Neil’s artistic flair, his passion for music and his knack for creating large-scale art installations, predominantly in public spaces.
He was even forced to deny the claim, and released a statement saying on the band’s website saying: “We have been inundated with enquiries regarding the current social media story. Unfortunately, this website does not have the infrastructure to answer all these enquiries individually. However, we can confirm that there is no truth in the rumour whatsoever.”
The group has released four albums and six singles together, and have also supported the likes of Judas Priest, Nazareth, Whitesnake and UFO on tour.
Neil became a household name 17 years ago when he started presenting Art Attack, a children’s TV programme that aired from 1990 to 2007.
ITV sadly declared its cancellation in July 2007, but reruns continued until 30 May 2011. Now aged 68, Neil went on to present shows like Finders Keepers, Animal Crazy, and It’s a Mystery.
Neil remains active in the art world and has his own website showcasing his art collections and photography.
He rolled back the years to do the red jumper earlier this year for a campaign, leaving fans in awe of his youthful appearance.
Neil said: “It’s been nearly two decades since I last took on a project like this, but when I heard the Müller Corner Originals Rhubarb Crumble-inspired yoghurt was coming back, I had to get involved.”
One fan remarked: “He looks the same he always seemed such a top guy.” Another said: “Get a new series. Back on. I promise wherever I am, I will run my fastest to make it back home on time. The memories x.”
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