The West Denton graffiti artist has struck again, daubing more celebrity-themed 'gossip' on the subways after a week of online speculation. The new writing has appeared on the walls, which had previously been covered up by the council, and includes more named celebrities.
The celeb-obsessed graffiti artist first made headlines earlier this month when images of the bizarre celebrity 'gossip' went viral on social media. The graffiti even featured on Live from the Lycett Arms, a live show by comedian and Celebrity Traitors star Joe Lycett. He confronted presenter Lorraine Kelly after seeing the graffiti 'Lorraine Kelly is barred from Wetherspoons for pinching cutlery', resulting in her dumping a handful of cutlery on the table, cheekily adding 'spoons from Spoons, it has to be done' with a laugh.
Artist's identity and growing following
More information has come to light on the identity of the graffiti artist, as an Instagram page has now gone live. Calling themselves The Mellow Birds after the mild-tasting instant coffee brand, they stated in an interview with the publication Radge that they chose the name 'as we mean no harm and are deliciously mild'. The page is steadily growing in followers, already hitting over 1,200 followers on Instagram.
Celebrities have been getting in on the joke, with Jade Thirwall and Sarah Millican among those responding to the spray-painted allegations with a bit of tongue-in-cheek humour. Denise Welch, who had expressed disappointment at not being included in the last round of graffiti, has now been included, as the words 'Denise Welch plays pull my finger with the other Loose Women' have appeared.
Council response and cost concerns
Newcastle City Council's Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Local Services, Peter Lovatt, condemned the graffiti and urged anyone who knows who is responsible to report them to police. In addition, a statement from Cllr Steven Rutherford said 'We have been dealing with this moron for a while now, he/she has sprayed over the commissioned work in the subways and in the plain subways.'
He added, 'This is costing Newcastle City Council money it simply doesn't have to waste; some of the words used in the graffiti are also being seen by children.' Newcastle City Council has been contacted for comment on the latest graffiti.
