A lost BBC interview with street artist Banksy has been discovered in which the elusive artist reveals his name. In a recording from 2003, BBC journalist Nigel Wrench interviewed the artist and asked him if his name was “Robert Banks”. The artist replied, “Robbie”, giving fans a rare opportunity to hear his voice.

The interview took place during the summer of 2003, when Banksy’s Turf War show opened in East London. An edited version was broadcast on the BBC’s PM programme, but not all of the material was used. Many years later, Wrench listened to the podcast ‘The Banksy Story’ and this prompted him to record the entire interview on a minidisc in his home. The never-before-published material sheds light on how Banksy defends vandalism as art. He explained that it is a quicker way to get your point across and that he wants to get art done and dusted off.

When asked if graffiti was vandalism and whether he considered it illegal, Banksy gave people the following advice: “Get out! Throw things in the trash! Have fun!” Earlier, it had been announced in British media that his real name is Robert Banks, that he was born in 1974. This enigmatic artist has intrigued the public for years with his satirical works that often carry anti-war, anti-capitalist, anti-establishment or libertarian messages.