The Banksy Story

Follow The Banksy Story
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

The story of Banksy's rise from secretive street artist to international icon.

BBC Radio 4


    • Apr 5, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 18m AVG DURATION
    • 20 EPISODES
    • 1 SEASONS


    More podcasts from BBC Radio 4

    Search for episodes from The Banksy Story with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from The Banksy Story

    5. Deal and No Deal

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2025 20:36


    Roll-up! Roll-up! The Banksy circus is coming to town... What happens when Banksy does one of his naughty drawings on the wall of your house? For Season 2 of The Banksy Story, super-fan James Peak investigates (even though he isn't an art critic, or a journalist). In the last episode of the season, Rod has some strong words for the man himself. Also, there's a mega-deal on the table. Will the Banksy sell for big bucks now it's off the wall and on the market? And will we finally find out what happened to Banksy's missing frying pan?Written, Produced & Presented by James Peak Voices: Keith Wickham & Harriet Carmichael Production Support: George Crowe Music: Alcatraz Swim Team & Lilium Street Art Consultancy and Investigative Support: Steph Warren Series Mixing: Neil Churchill Executive Producer: Philip Abrams Commissioner: Dan Clarke With special thanks to Hadrian Briggs, Pete Chinn, Rob Shiret, Rosie Bauer, Tracy Williams, Andy Voss & Noel Lewis. This series is dedicated to the memory of Duncan Crowe.An Essential Radio production for BBC Radio 4

    4. Share and Shares Alike

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2025 19:11


    Roll-up! Roll-up! The Banksy circus is coming to town... What happens when Banksy does one of his naughty drawings on the wall of your house? For Season 2 of The Banksy Story, super-fan James Peak investigates (even though he isn't an art critic, or a journalist). In this episode, Rod tries to drum up support for a Banksy auction, and in Margate a scheme is hatched to fractionalise Valentine's Day Mascara. What could possibly go wrong? Also, Steph and James' hunt for Banksy's missing frying-pan leads to Pete 'the Street' Brown, the artist Banksy commissioned to capture the aftermath.Written, Produced & Presented by James Peak Voices: Keith Wickham & Harriet Carmichael Production Support: George Crowe Music: Alcatraz Swim Team & Lilium Street Art Consultancy and Investigative Support: Steph Warren Series Mixing: Neil Churchill Executive Producer: Philip Abrams Commissioner: Dan Clarke With special thanks to Hadrian Briggs, Pete Chinn, Rob Shiret, Rosie Bauer, Tracy Williams, Andy Voss & Noel LewisAn Essential Radio production for BBC Radio 4

    3. Off the Wall

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2025 17:22


    Roll-up! Roll-up! The Banksy circus is coming to town... What happens when Banksy does one of his naughty drawings on the wall of your house? For Season 2 of The Banksy Story, super-fan James Peak investigates (even though he isn't an art critic, or a journalist). In this episode, both Banksys come off the wall so they can be preserved for posterity and perhaps sold on. But what do the legions of local people and art-fans think about this? Also, Steph and James go on the hunt for Banksy's missing frying-pan.Written, Produced & Presented by James Peak Voices: Keith Wickham & Harriet Carmichael Production Support: George Crowe Music: Alcatraz Swim Team & Lilium Street Art Consultancy and Investigative Support: Steph Warren Series Mixing: Neil Churchill Executive Producer: Philip Abrams Commissioner: Dan Clarke With special thanks to Hadrian Briggs, Pete Chinn, Rob Shiret, Rosie Bauer, Tracy Williams, Andy Voss & Noel LewisAn Essential Radio production for BBC Radio 4

    2. Beside The Seaside

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2025 17:23


    Roll-up! Roll-up! The Banksy circus is coming to town... What happens when Banksy does one of his naughty drawings on the wall of your house? For Season 2 of The Banksy Story, super-fan James Peak investigates (even though he isn't an art critic, or a journalist). In this episode, Gert in Lowestoft must deal with crowds, chancers and the Council after Banksy left a painting of a massive seagull on her end-of-terrace. And in Margate, Sam and Julian must react quickly if they are to stop Valentine's Day Mascara being spirited away by light-fingered opportunists and the Council's refuse department.Written, Produced & Presented by James Peak Voices: Keith Wickham & Harriet Carmichael Production Support: George Crowe Music: Alcatraz Swim Team & Lilium Street Art Consultancy and Investigative Support: Steph Warren Series Mixing: Neil Churchill Executive Producer: Philip Abrams Commissioner: Dan Clarke With special thanks to Hadrian Briggs, Pete Chinn, Rob Shiret, Rosie Bauer, Tracy Williams, Andy Voss & Noel LewisAn Essential Radio production for BBC Radio 4

    1. A Tale Of Two Banksys

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2025 20:38


    Roll-up! Roll-up! The Banksy circus is coming to town... What happens when Banksy does one of his naughty drawings on the wall of your house? For Season 2 of The Banksy Story, super-fan James Peak investigates (even though he isn't an art critic, or a journalist). In this episode, James visits Sam in Margate and Gert in Lowestoft. They have both been visited by Britain's favourite quality vandal. Banksy left freshly painted artworks on their properties overnight, like some kind of spray-can Santa Claus. But does this make the homeowners the lottery winners you might expect? Written, Produced & Presented by James Peak Voices: Keith Wickham & Harriet Carmichael Production Support: George Crowe Music: Alcatraz Swim Team & Lilium Street Art Consultancy and Investigative Support: Steph Warren Series Mixing: Neil Churchill Executive Producer: Philip Abrams Commissioner: Dan Clarke With special thanks to Hadrian Briggs, Pete Chinn, Rob Shiret, Rosie Bauer, Tracy Williams, Andy Voss & Noel Lewis.An Essential Radio production for BBC Radio 4

    The Banksy Story presents: When Banksy Comes to Town

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2025 2:14


    What happens when Banksy's uses your wall as a canvas? James Peak investigates two pieces that appeared in Margate and Lowestoft, two years apart.

    Introducing Thief at the British Museum

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2024 14:34


    The inside story of how ancient treasures disappeared from one of the world's most famous museums. And how one man believes he uncovered a thief.

    New Banksy Piece: Finsbury Park Tree

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2024 15:50


    The Finsbury Park Tree is a new Banksy artwork which appeared overnight in March 2024 on the Hornsey Road in North London. James Peak investigates this exciting new Banksy street piece, a giant tree made of paint and.... ummm, a tree! Is this the first unnickable Banksy? Only time will tell...With thanks to Rob Shiret, Neil Churchill, Dan Clarke, Roger Mahony, Anna Mears, Philip Abrams, Jo Carr, Jonathan Glover, Steph Warren & Eddie, Avery Stone, Joe at LDN Graffiti and Patrick NguyenAssistant Produced by Ruby Churchill Written, Produced and Presented by James Peak An Essential Radio Production for BBC Radio 4

    Bonus Episode: The Lost Banksy Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2023 30:23


    James Peak isn't an art critic, or even a journalist. He's a Banksy super-fan, and in this series he, and his soundman Duncan, get closer than close to Banksy's secret world - telling the story of the graffiti kid who made spraying walls into high art, the household name who is completely anonymous, the cultural phenomenon who bites the hand that feeds him. In this bonus episode, James is on the trail of a revealing early Banksy interview from 2003 when the artist was starting to cut through. Written, Produced and Presented by James Peak Sound & Commentary: Duncan Crowe. Music: Alcatraz Swim Team & Lilium Series Mixing: Neil Churchill Executive Producer: Philip Abrams With special thanks to Steph Warren, Eddie, Duncan Crowe, Nigel Wrench, Keith Wickham, Helen Toland, Anna Mears, Rob Shiret, Tracey Williams, Neil Churchill, Roger Mahony, Mohit Bakaya and Dan Clarke. An Essential Radio production for BBC Radio 4

    10. Who Is He?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2023 24:49


    James Peak isn't an art critic, or even a journalist. He's a Banksy super-fan, and in this series he, and his soundman Duncan, get closer than close to Banksy's secret world, telling the story of the graffiti kid who made spraying walls into high art, the household name who is completely anonymous, the cultural phenomenon who bites the hand that feeds him. James persuades a member of Banksy's secret team – someone who worked closely with the artist when they were starting to cut through – to talk about the experience. The story that results is a rollercoaster ride... In the last episode of this series, Banksy springs a surprise retrospective show in Glasgow, and we hear why Steph told her story. Written, Produced and Presented by James Peak Sound & Commentary: Duncan Crowe. Voices: Keith Wickham & Harriet Carmichael Music: Alcatraz Swim Team & Lilium Series Mixing: Neil Churchill Executive Producer: Philip Abrams With special thanks to Hadrian Briggs, Pete Chinn, Patrick Nguyen, John Higgs and Steph Warren. An Essential Radio production for BBC Radio 4

    9. Restoration

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2023 21:20


    James Peak isn't an art critic, or even a journalist. He's a Banksy super-fan, and in this series he, and his soundman Duncan, get closer than close to Banksy's secret world - telling the story of the graffiti kid who made spraying walls into high art, the household name who is completely anonymous, the cultural phenomenon who bites the hand that feeds him. James persuades a member of Banksy's secret team – someone who worked closely with the artist when they were starting to cut through – to talk about the experience. The story that results is a rollercoaster ride. In this episode, help arrives for Steph from an unlikely source - a person we've heard quite a lot from already. And we head off to Weston-super-mare for a very special Banksy show. Written, Produced and Presented by James Peak Sound & Commentary: Duncan Crowe. Voices: Keith Wickham & Harriet Carmichael Music: Alcatraz Swim Team & Lilium Series Mixing: Neil Churchill Executive Producer: Philip Abrams With special thanks to Farhath Siddiqui, Bryn Youlds, Hadrian Briggs, Pete Chinn, Patrick Nguyen, John Higgs and Steph Warren. An Essential Radio production for BBC Radio 4

    8. Brushed under the Carpet

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2023 17:34


    James Peak isn't an art critic, or even a journalist. He's a Banksy super-fan, and in this series he, and his soundman Duncan, get closer than close to Banksy's secret world - telling the story of the graffiti kid who made spraying walls into high art, the household name who is completely anonymous, the cultural phenomenon who bites the hand that feeds him. James persuades a member of Banksy's secret team – someone who worked closely with the artist when they were starting to cut through – to talk about the experience. The story that results is a rollercoaster ride. In this episode, Banksy returns to Bristol Museum in triumph, while Steph is accused of forgery. Written, Produced and Presented by James Peak Sound & Commentary: Duncan Crowe. Voices: Keith Wickham & Harriet Carmichael Music: Alcatraz Swim Team & Lilium Series Mixing: Neil Churchill Executive Producer: Philip Abrams With special thanks to Hadrian Briggs, Pete Chinn, Patrick Nguyen, John Higgs and Steph Warren. An Essential Radio production for BBC Radio 4

    7. A Nightmare on Oxford St

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2023 19:44


    James Peak isn't an art critic, or even a journalist. He's a Banksy super-fan, and in this series he, and his soundman Duncan, get closer than close to Banksy's secret world - telling the story of the graffiti kid who made spraying walls into high art, the household name who is completely anonymous, the cultural phenomenon who bites the hand that feeds him. James persuades a member of Banksy's secret team – someone who worked closely with the artist when they were starting to cut through – to talk about the experience. The story that results is a rollercoaster ride. In this episode, a nightmare exhibition on Oxford Street sees Steph in big trouble with the big man. Written, Produced and Presented by James Peak Sound & Commentary: Duncan Crowe. Voices: Keith Wickham & Harriet Carmichael Music: Alcatraz Swim Team & Lilium Series Mixing: Neil Churchill Executive Producer: Philip Abrams With special thanks to Hadrian Briggs, Pete Chinn, Patrick Nguyen, John Higgs and Steph Warren. An Essential Radio production for BBC Radio 4

    6. LA Story

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2023 21:15


    James Peak isn't an art critic, or even a journalist. He's a Banksy super-fan, and in this series he, and his soundman Duncan, get closer than close to Banksy's secret world - telling the story of the graffiti kid who made spraying walls into high art, the household name who is completely anonymous, the cultural phenomenon who bites the hand that feeds him. James persuades a member of Banksy's secret team – someone who worked closely with the artist when they were starting to cut through – to talk about the experience. The story that results is a rollercoaster ride. In this episode - a new show in LA, Barely Legal, brings in huge celebrity names and, back in the UK, Steph's life at Pictures on Walls gets trickier. Written, Produced and Presented by James Peak Sound & Commentary: Duncan Crowe. Voices: Keith Wickham & Harriet Carmichael Music: Alcatraz Swim Team & Lilium Series Mixing: Neil Churchill Executive Producer: Philip Abrams With special thanks to Hadrian Briggs, Pete Chinn, Patrick Nguyen, John Higgs and Steph Warren. An Essential Radio production for BBC Radio 4

    5. Crude Oils

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2023 16:42


    James Peak isn't an art critic, or even a journalist. He's a Banksy super-fan, and in this series he, and his soundman Duncan, get closer than close to Banksy's secret world - telling the story of the graffiti kid who made spraying walls into high art, the household name who is completely anonymous, the cultural phenomenon who bites the hand that feeds him. James persuades a member of Banksy's secret team – someone who worked closely with the artist when they were starting to cut through – to talk about the experience. The story that results is a rollercoaster ride. In this episode, Banksy's new show, Crude Oils, stars 200 live rats scuttling about the gallery floor. It certainly brings in the crowds. Written, Produced and Presented by James Peak Sound & Commentary: Duncan Crowe. Voices: Keith Wickham & Harriet Carmichael Music: Alcatraz Swim Team & Lilium Series Mixing: Neil Churchill Executive Producer: Philip Abrams With special thanks to Hadrian Briggs, Pete Chinn, Patrick Nguyen, John Higgs and Steph Warren. An Essential Radio production for BBC Radio 4

    4. Reverse Heists

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2023 21:14


    James Peak isn't an art critic, or even a journalist. He's a Banksy super-fan, and in this series he, and his soundman Duncan, get closer than close to Banksy's secret world - telling the story of the graffiti kid who made spraying walls into high art, the household name who is completely anonymous, the cultural phenomenon who bites the hand that feeds him. James persuades a member of Banksy's secret team – someone who worked closely with the artist when they were starting to cut through – to talk about the experience. The story that results is a rollercoaster ride. In this episode, Banksy's hilarious reverse heists at the world's best museums and galleries gain him some serious notoriety. Written, Produced and Presented by James Peak Sound & Commentary: Duncan Crowe. Voices: Keith Wickham & Harriet Carmichael Music: Alcatraz Swim Team & Lilium Series Mixing: Neil Churchill Executive Producer: Philip Abrams With special thanks to Hadrian Briggs, Pete Chinn, Patrick Nguyen, John Higgs and Steph Warren. An Essential Radio production for BBC Radio 4

    3. Santa's Ghetto

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2023 19:42


    James Peak isn't an art critic, or even a journalist. He's a Banksy super-fan, and in this series he, and his soundman Duncan, get closer than close to Banksy's secret world - telling the story of the graffiti kid who made spraying walls into high art, the household name who is completely anonymous, the cultural phenomenon who bites the hand that feeds him. James persuades a member of Banksy's secret team – someone who worked closely with the artist when they were starting to cut through – to talk about the experience. The story that results is a rollercoaster ride In this episode, an incident at the Christmas Santa's Ghetto exhibition helps Steph prove herself to Banksy. Written, Produced and Presented by James Peak Sound & Commentary: Duncan Crowe. Voices: Keith Wickham & Harriet Carmichael Music: Alcatraz Swim Team & Lilium Series Mixing: Neil Churchill Executive Producer: Philip Abrams With special thanks to Hadrian Briggs, Pete Chinn, Patrick Nguyen, John Higgs and Steph Warren. An Essential Radio production for BBC Radio 4

    2. Love & Death & BMX

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2023 18:23


    James Peak isn't an art critic, or even a journalist. He's a Banksy super-fan, and in this series he, and his soundman Duncan, get closer than close to Banksy's secret world - telling the story of the graffiti kid who made spraying walls into high art, the household name who is completely anonymous, the cultural phenomenon who bites the hand that feeds him. James persuades a member of Banksy's secret team – someone who worked closely with the artist when they were starting to cut through – to talk about the experience. The story that results is a rollercoaster ride. In this episode, James finds someone from Banksy's secret team, but will they talk? Written, Produced and Presented by James Peak Sound & Commentary: Duncan Crowe. Voices: Keith Wickham & Harriet Carmichael Music: Alcatraz Swim Team & Lilium Series Mixing: Neil Churchill Executive Producer: Philip Abrams With special thanks to Hadrian Briggs, Pete Chinn, Patrick Nguyen, John Higgs and Steph Warren. An Essential Radio production for BBC Radio 4

    1. The Mild, Mild West

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2023 22:18


    James Peak isn't an art critic, or even a journalist. He's a Banksy super-fan, and in this series he, and his soundman, Duncan, get closer than close to Banksy's secret world - telling the story of the graffiti kid who made spraying walls into high art, the household name who is completely anonymous, the cultural phenomenon who bites the hand that feeds him. James persuades a member of Banksy's secret team – someone who worked closely with the artist when they were starting to cut through – to talk about the experience. The story that results is a rollercoaster ride. In this episode, how did the city of Bristol, in the south west of England, help to shape Banksy and his art? And will James and Duncan find the person they're looking for? Written, Produced and Presented by James Peak Sound & Commentary: Duncan Crowe. Voices: Keith Wickham & Harriet Carmichael Music: Alcatraz Swim Team & Lilium Series Mixing: Neil Churchill Executive Producer: Philip Abrams With special thanks to Hadrian Briggs, Pete Chinn, Patrick Nguyen, John Higgs and Steph Warren. An Essential Radio production for BBC Radio 4

    Welcome to The Banksy Story

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2023 2:32


    James Peak isn't an art critic, or even a journalist. He's a Banksy super-fan, and in this series he gets closer than close to Banksy's secret world to tell the story of the graffiti kid who made spraying walls into high art, the anonymous figure who became a household name, the cultural phenomenon who bites the hand that feeds him. Written, Produced and Presented by James Peak Sound & Commentary: Duncan Crowe. Music: Alcatraz Swim Team & Lilium Series Mixing: Neil Churchill Executive Producer: Philip Abrams With special thanks to Hadrian Briggs, Pete Chinn, Keith Wickham, Harriet Carmichael, Patrick Nguyen, John Higgs and Steph Warren

    Claim The Banksy Story

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel