I'm Banksy's best mate... I know why he's never revealed his identity and why he never will

Banksy's erstwhile supplier and photographer has revealed nan elusive creator 'never really sewage to bask nan fame he got' because of his request for anonymity - but it's besides a concealed not astir to extremity immoderate clip soon.

Steve Lazarides worked pinch nan discreet thoroughfare creator from 1997 to 2008 aft nan chap Bristolians met successful nan precocious 1990s and discovered they shared a communal emotion for graffiti and innovative thoroughfare art.

The 55-year-old, who has antecedently described those years arsenic 'glorious' and a 'ride', is now auctioning memorabilia from his clip pinch Banksy, from coveted prints and artwork to drawings and moreover backstage correspondence pinch nan artist.

More than 170 tons are going nether nan hammer astatine Julien's Auctions successful Los Angeles connected Thursday, pinch nan highest-priced estimate presently reserved for a stencil of a rat holding a drill, which is expected to fetch up to £150,000.

His people of nan now-famous Girl With Balloon could besides fetch £60,000 erstwhile it goes nether nan hammer, experts predict.

Since Banksy made his sanction pinch his trademark stencil-style 'guerrilla' creation successful nationalist spaces - connected walls successful London, Brighton, Bristol and moreover connected nan West Bank obstruction separating Israelis and Palestinians - his useful person sold for hundreds of thousands of pounds.

He is nan world's astir elusive creator – a 'graffiti guerrilla' who began his thoroughfare creation 25 years agone and is now a darling of nan creation world, his activity coveted by collectors and celebrities. 

Lazarides believes he understands much than astir Banksy's request to stay anonymous, a position that began initially arsenic 'self preservation' to guarantee that he did not get caught by constabulary and sent to jailhouse for what could fundamentally beryllium seen arsenic vandalism. 

In an question and reply pinch The Mirror, he said: 'As nan years went by and it went connected for longer, I deliberation that nan anonymity became rather a disease. 

'Everyone has this fig successful their mind, they person a people hero, and it looks different successful everybody's mind. 

'He's ne'er really sewage to bask nan fame he got.'

So keen were nan brace to support Banksy's concealed that they moreover bought dozens of burner phones, pinch nan creator only communicating connected inexpensive pay-as-you-go handsets for each thoroughfare creation occupation he took. 

At 1 point, Lazarides claims that he bought 2 caller burner phones each mates of weeks and changed wherever he bought them from. 

Banksy's personality has been shrouded successful secrecy until The Mail connected Sunday launched an investigation successful 2008, naming Robin Gunningham arsenic nan Bristol artist.

When nan insubstantial published its groundbreaking investigation, Mr Lazarides told an American newspaper that a photograph of Mr Gunningham – taken successful Jamaica 4 years earlier and showing a man kneeling by a spray tin – did not show his client. 

However, it is still powerfully suggested that Mr Gunningham is Banksy and researchers at Queen Mary University of London moreover utilized a statistical method of geographic profiling to beryllium it is him, which is much commonly utilized by constabulary to drawback criminals.

They declare to person tagged him by identifying an evident shape betwixt nan locations of his creation and addresses he often visits successful Bristol and London.

Fans see Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who commissioned a mural 4 years agone for their backstage assemblage astatine their property successful nan southbound of France.

Ahead of this week's auction, Lazarides speaks only fondly astir Banksy and describes him arsenic 'probably nan world's champion known artist'.

On a promotional video posted to YouTube, he said: 'I first heard astir Banksy erstwhile we were astatine a gathering astatine Sleazenation and I met him and I saw his activity and it blew maine distant man. 

'It had a connection and it was funny and it was different. He had f******g balls and he put his s**t successful places that nary 1 other was consenting to go. I was afloat sold.'

Banksy's useful person gone from being considered graffiti and vandalism to commanding millions astatine auction, pinch his astir costly work, Love is successful nan Bin, fetching £18.6million successful 2021.