Ant and Dec take legal action over 'secret profits' in Banksy deals

Television presenters Ant and Dec have approached a High Court judge to obtain details concerning transactions involving Banksy artwork that they have bought and sold. They allege an intermediary involved in these deals took “secret and unauthorised profits,” prompting their request for judicial intervention.

The pair claim they paid £550,000 for a particular collection of Banksy pieces, yet the seller received only £300,000. Their goal is to discover what happened to the missing £250,000. Additionally, they have expressed “similar concerns” about losing a significant amount from the sale of 22 other items, as was revealed during the court proceedings on Tuesday.

Ant and Dec have sought a court directive compelling an art dealer, Andrew Lilley, and his company Lilley Fine Art Ltd, to provide information about the transactions and the activities of an unnamed art consultant who acted on their behalf. This consultant, identified only as “X” in court documents, assisted the presenters in buying, selling, and loaning artworks as they developed their contemporary art collection.

Represented by Harry Martin, the presenters aim to uncover the truth behind these dealings and trace any missing funds. Martin highlighted specific instances, including the consultant brokering the £550,000 purchase of a Banksy series featuring model Kate Moss portrayed as Marilyn Monroe in the style of Andy Warhol. Another example mentioned a Banksy piece titled Napalm, depicting the iconic 1972 Vietnam War image of nine-year-old Kim Phuc holding hands with Mickey Mouse and Ronald McDonald. The art consultant sold this work for £13,000 but reportedly informed the presenters they had only received £11,000, creating a £2,000 discrepancy.

While Lilley and his firm are not accused of any wrongdoing, Martin noted their involvement in the flow of money related to these transactions. Lilley has declined to release information citing confidentiality but agreed to comply with any court order. He told BBC News, “I was just purchasing art on what I thought was fair and market value, no idea what was going on in the background.” He described the situation as “a mess” and explained that the matter now lies between Ant and Dec and the third party.

Judge Iain Pester is expected to deliver a ruling on Wednesday regarding whether to mandate disclosure and to decide if the interim anonymity protecting the consultant’s identity will be lifted

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