Art Attack’s Neil Buchanan became a household name when he began hosting the popular children’s TV show in 1990, but he looks very different nowadays – 18 years since the show was axed
Neil Buchanan, famed for his stint on CITV’s Art Attack, is hardly recognisable in recent photos.
The artist became a household name 17 years ago when he started presenting Art Attack, a children’s TV programme that aired from 1990 to 2007.
The much-loved show taught kids how to create art pieces and provided tips for home creativity. Art Attack enjoyed a remarkable run of 19 series, including six Christmas specials and various other shorts and specials.
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.
However, he soon left the television world to concentrate on his music career. Neil, originally from Aintree, Liverpool, was part of a heavy metal band named Marseille, which was established in 1976.
The band released four albums and six singles during their time together, even touring America and performing alongside Judas Priest, Nazareth and Whitesnake. Marseille made a comeback in 2009 with a performance at The Cavern Club in Liverpool.
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However, lead singer Nigel Roberts announced in 2017 that Neil had left the band due to his consultancy work for children’s television. Neil remains active in the art world and has his own website showcasing his art collections and photography.
Fans can snap up fine art prints from the erstwhile TV sensation online. The former star’s artwork has been a hot topic for ages, and in 2020, he had to put an end to whispers claiming that he was the mysterious street artist Banksy.
His website made it clear with a statement: “Neil Buchanan ISN’T Banksy. We have been inundated with enquiries over the weekend 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 message went on to say: “Neil spent Lockdown with vulnerable members of his family and is now preparing to launch his new art collection in 2021. Thank you and please stay safe.”
Rumours about Art Attack’s grand return to our screens in 2025 have been doing the rounds, though nothing official has been confirmed. The rumour mill even churned out tales of comedian Romesh Ranganathan taking the helm, which he firmly shot down during a chat on The One Show in September.
He clarified: “Thank you for asking me that, I’m not. I’m not bringing back Art Attack, what I have done though is been subjected to terrible levels of online abuse,” affirming further, “I just want to say to the camera, I am not doing Art Attack. I’m not replacing Neil Buchanan, I respect what he did. I would never step on his legacy in that way! Please stop at’ing me, alright.”
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