Stephen Merchant has addressed rumours he is Banksy after appearing on BBC's The One Show to discuss the latest series of his comedy-thriller The Outlaws. The true identity of street artist Banksy has been a hot topic of discussion for many years and his artwork featured in Stephen's BBC series in 2021.
The 47-year-old Hanham-born comedian and screenwriter's latest instalment of the The Outlaws returned to BBC One on Sunday evening (June 5). The crime comedy drama set in Bristol, follows seven strangers who are forced together to do community service.
Joining The One Show on May 31 ahead of the second series release, Stephen was once again quizzed on the Banksy painting which appeared in series one, the Daily Record reports. The iconic artist painted an artwork specifically for the BBC comedy, which was painted over at the end of the first series by award-winning Hollywood actor Christopher Walken.
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The One Show presenters Ronan Keating and Emma Willis were keen to know how the collaboration had come about. "We all sort of thought it was a funny idea, that as they're renovating a building - and it's set in Bristol and Banksy's kind of famous for being associated with Bristol - that what if the characters painted over a Banksy and no one noticed," Stephen explained.
"We just thought we'd do a fake Banksy and someone said well let's try and approach the real Banksy and we managed to find a go-between. We got the idea to him and I said to him 'look it will be funny because it will only exist [your art] in the show and then it will be destroyed in real life.
"He came over the fence one night, we didn't see him, I've still not met him. He put this Bansky on the wall and we kept it hidden for about six or seven weeks."
Merchant, seemed keen to quash rumours he was the artist, but teased - as he stands at 6ft 7in tall - that the mysterious artist's work was usually "quite high up". "Of course inevitably now people say.. 'Steve are you Banksy?' and I'm not going to confirm or deny that," he said. Stephen later added: "All I'll say is that a lot of his artwork is quite high up."
The second series of The Outlaws is now available to watch on BBC iPlayer. Alternatively you can watch the new series each week when it airs on BBC One on Sundays from 9pm.
