AJ Odudu in shock after art collector bids £250,000 for Banksy – despite massive concern
AJ Odudu was stunned after an alleged Banksy piece fetched a staggering £250,000 on The Greatest Auction.
The brand new Channel 4 show saw a chunk of concrete wall with the mystery street artist’s work sprayed across it – although the authenticity couldn’t be proven.
On the show, AJ welcomes a series of private collectors and top dealers to face off in order to secure the best items possible.
After the Banksy piece was sold for the enormous sum of money to art collector Robin Barton, the presenter covered her face in shock.
The seller remained unknown and sent a representative on their behalf, Justin, who was sat with AJ as the bidding war started to unfold.
The artworks features a slab or wall with one of Banky’s trademark rats holding a paintbrush under the words: “Never liked this Banksy”.
Between a tense bid off between Robin and a bidder on the phone, it was finally sold to the collector.
He told the cameras after that £250,000 was his absolute limit, so it was a lucky day for him.
He said: “I got what I wanted. That was my limit… when it got up to the 200, I thought maybe I got this wrong, maybe they are hungrier than I am. I wouldn’t have gone a penny over that so I got it and I’m taking it home.”
After it was revealed that the piece had found a new home, AJ turned to Justin with total disbelief in her eyes.
“Wow! Well done! I tell you what, you were right not be nervous weren’t you!” she said to him.
The auctioneer told the guests before starting the bidding that while some people believed it to be a genuine Banksy piece, others argued that it was a fake.
One critic said he didn’t believe the letters “seem in the same style that he (Banksy) normally does” however Robin did not believe that to be true.
Another said that he wasn’t “a thousand per cent” whether it was a real Banksy or not.
The bidding started at £35,000 and slowly crept up, with the millionaire art collector on the phone dropping out at the last minute.
This comes after AJ admitted to breaking down after spending time with one of the show’s stars.
One guest in particular stole AJ’s heart as he struggled to part with his collectable items – with AJ even offering to pay him the money herself so that he could keep it.
Chatting about the moment, the Strictly star revealed that she was left in tears as the guest was left saddened at having to part with the Buzzcocks memorabilia.
AJ said: “There was a man with a Buzzcocks collection who was just amazing.
“The more I chatted to him about this collection of album memorabilia, posters, badges, tickets, the more I wondered why he was selling them.
“I kept wanting to tell him he didn’t need do it and I’d give him the money, but I think for him, he just really wanted to let go of it.