Banksy criticises Channel 4 over 'Graffiti Wars' documentary

Street artist Banksy has criticised Channel 4 over a television documentary about his battle with graffiti legend King Robbo, claiming that it was "a wilful and malicious" attempt to damage his reputation.

Banksy, who was nominated for an Oscar in January for his film Exit Through The Gift Shop, has submitted a formal letter of complaint to Channel 4 about Graffiti Wars, a documentary aired last month which focused on the "battle of spray cans" between him and London-based Robbo.

The programme featured footage of the two artists painting over each other's work, as the narrator told viewers: "What started off as tit-for-tat one-upmanship... degenerated into a wider battle of vitriol."

However, Banksy has hit out at the programme's inaccuracies and distortions, in what he claims was "a wilful and malicious attempt by the filmmakers to damage [his] credibility and reputation".

He particularly objected to the film's implication that he may have had something to do with Robbo beng found unconscious in the street with life-threatening head injuries. The artist has been in a coma ever since, reports The Guardian.

In a statement, Banksy said: "Graffiti Wars contained some inaccuracies that I've asked to be investigated and some facts that need to be corrected.

"They alleged I painted over a piece by Robbo and led viewers to believe I had something to do with him being in a coma. I wish Robbo a full and speedy recovery."

Sources close to Banksy say that Robbo's injuries were caused by an accident, with one person telling the newspaper: "He fell down stairs and hit his head, which was nothing to do with Banksy. There was no police case."

Banksy has admitted to painting over Robbo's Regent's Canal graffiti by stencilling a man wallpapering over it. However, he claims that the 25-year-old piece was in such a poor condition that Robbo's signature was not even legible, and criticised Channel 4 for showing a picture of the work in its pristine condition.

The artist also slammed the programme for implying that a couple who attended Robbo's first gallery exhibition were associated with him and were there to check out the competition. Banksy's PR agent Jo Brooks has since said she has no idea who the couple were.

Channel 4, which has edited the mystery couple out of its catch-up version of the programme, said in a statement: "Graffiti Wars in no way suggests that Banksy was responsible for the injuries sustained by King Robbo.

"The documentary clearly states that Banksy did not realise he was painting over Robbo's work and includes a picture of the deteriorated work."