When Joan Collins THOUGHT she'd met Banksy

The elaborate plot to impersonate graffiti artist and how the MoS foiled it

To Joan Collins it must have seemed an unexpected honour too good to refuse – the chance to meet the world-famous, and notoriously secretive, graffiti artist Banksy.

Not surprisingly, she readily accepted the invitation to host a dinner party for the mysterious artist in a grand country home, with other excited celebrities in attendance to share the unique experience.

But The Mail on Sunday has discovered that the entire story was an elaborate hoax, designed to dupe the Dynasty actress – and the rest of the world.

In reality, the ‘Banksy’ who Miss Collins spent five hours entertaining was actor Bryan Lawrence – whose career includes bit parts in The Bill and adverts for the Corby Trouser Press – not the controversial guerrilla artist famed for his stencilled, anarchist graffiti works that can sell for up to £250,000.

Duped: Joan with the bogus artist who was pixellated by the filmakers

Con artist: The 'fake Banksy' actor Bryan Lawrence, who once appeared in The Bill

Guerrilla Artist: Robin Gunningham, who was revealed as the reclusive Banksy

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