Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have initiated legal proceedings at the High Court in London seeking information regarding financial discrepancies in the sale of their Banksy artworks, according to filings made public on Tuesday.
The television presenters allege that an unnamed art consultant, referred to as “X” in court documents, engaged in practices that resulted in “secret and unauthorised profits” during transactions involving their contemporary art collection. The legal action centers on obtaining a court order to compel the art dealer to disclose information about the sales and the operations of the consultant.
Specifically, the pair claim they purchased a set of six Banksy prints, depicting Kate Moss in the style of Andy Warhol, for £550,000, but the original seller reportedly received only £300,000. They are seeking to determine the whereabouts of the remaining £250,000. Similar concerns exist regarding the sale of 22 other items, where they believe they were deprived of a “substantial sum,” according to Harry Martin, representing Ant and Dec, during Tuesday’s hearing.
The legal team is pursuing a “Norwich Pharmacal and Bankers Trust order” to access paperwork held by Andrew Lilley, the purchaser in one transaction, though Lilley is not accused of any wrongdoing and has indicated a willingness to cooperate, pending a High Court ruling due to data protection laws. The Sun reported that the presenters are prepared to cover Lilley’s legal costs.
One example cited in court involved a version of Banksy’s “Napalm,” featuring the iconic girl from the Vietnam War photograph alongside Mickey Mouse and Ronald McDonald. The consultant, X, reportedly sold the artwork for £13,000 but informed Ant and Dec they had received only £11,000, resulting in a £2,000 discrepancy.
Ant and Dec engaged the consultant, X, to manage the acquisition, sale and loan of artworks as they developed their collection. Their lawyer, Tim Maxwell, stated in a filing that there is “a real prospect that the information sought will lead to the location or preservation of the assets in question.”
The legal action was initiated on January 16, 2026, and is ongoing. A ruling on the application for the court order is pending.
