Neil Buchanan


Neil Buchanan is an English television presenter, artist, and musician. He presented the CITV programme Art Attack, a television programme that he co-created, during its original run from 1990 to 2007. He also presented Finders Keepers and It's a Mystery, and produced and appeared in ZZZap! as Smart Arty.

Early life

Neil Buchanan was born in Aintree, then in Lancashire, now in Sefton, Merseyside. He attended Barlows Lane primary school, before moving on to Liverpool Institute High School, now the Paul McCartney-sponsored Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts.
In 2012, he returned to Barlows Primary School as part of their centenary celebrations. He gave an assembly to the school where he talked about his school days.

Career

Buchanan was in a heavy metal band called Marseille which formed in 1976: they were part of the new wave of British heavy metal scene, and have released four albums and six singles.

Television

Buchanan made his television debut on a Saturday morning show called No. 73, later renamed 7T3. He had attended the original audition, having met the No. 73 producers when his band Marseille appeared on Southern Television's Saturday Banana. He did not become a regular until the third series of No. 73 shown in 1983. After production ceased on 7T3 in 1988, he went on to present Motormouth, another Saturday morning children's programme made by TVS alongside Gaby Roslin. Buchanan stayed with Motormouth until the show's cancellation in 1992.
In 1990, he began presenting the CITV show Art Attack from its inception. Art Attack featured a bust named 'The head', this was based on Buchanan's Grandfather, Bernard Buchanan.
In March 2000, Britt Allcroft purchased the rights to the series from Buchanan in a £14 million transaction.
In 1991, he hosted the British version of Finders Keepers, a room-raiding game show for TVS, then Scottish Television when TVS lost their licence to broadcast. He co-hosted the show with Diane Youdale, the former Gladiators star, in its final series in 1996. He also presented Animal Crazy with co-host Jenny Powell for two series between 1994 and 1995 which was produced by the Media Merchants for Granada Television, and It's a Mystery alongside Sophie Aldred, from 1996 to 1999.
From 1995 to 1997, Buchanan presented the awards show The CITV Awards, which gave viewers a chance to vote on who they think should win a CITV award.
Buchanan briefly appeared as a guest on Celebrity Juice on 8 November 2012 during , in which he discussed ending Art Attack and his current activities, playing with his band.