TV presenter Anthea Turner has revealed her passion for lockdown – the love of British punk artist Mark Sloper.

The broadcaster was introduced to the controversial artist’s work by her fiancé Mark Armstrong two years ago and now she’s a big collector of his work.

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Anthea says the artist brings out the rebellious “punky” spirit in her and has embraced the anarchic style in her creative works which are sold worldwide.

Punk artist Mark is currently touring the UK after a successful Saatchi show and has a show in New York dedicated to legendary crooner Frank Sinatra.

The artist is famous after HRH The Queen saw her painting and asked for her punk portrait to be changed, as she didn’t like the tattoo on her neck.

Artist Mark Sloper created the image of Her Majesty with blue hair, nose ring and love heart inking. The monarch, 95, found the artwork “hilarious”, but asked that the tattoo of her husband Philip’s name be changed to show his royal crest.

Anthea, 61, said: “When I was younger performing Top Of The Pops I never particularly liked punk rock, but as I get older I really have the rebellious punky spirit that is in all of us and I think Mark’s art says it. all of which is exactly how we’re all feeling right now. I’ve always loved art, but as you get older I think you appreciate it more, you find out what you like and what you don’t like.

“I went to Mark’s launch at Castle Fine Art in St Christopher’s Place in London and was immediately struck by how he transformed Amy Winehouse, Marilyn Monroe and of course The Queen into all these punk icons. He the ability to collect all the cool rebels under a punk umbrella through his art eyes.

Anthea added: “When I first saw Mark’s art at the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea a few years ago I thought it was just brilliant. The entire Saatchi audience had gathered around his exhibit and it was more of a party than an art exhibit.

“I bought one of Mark’s punk queens and all my friends loved it so much I ended up buying several to give to friends. My hairdresser now has one and loves me for it!

“I commissioned a neon piece of art from Mark called ‘Always the sun’ (a Stranglers piece) which is in my kitchen and another room for my boyfriend.

“Mark is making me one of his flagship ‘Queen in Residence’ pieces that we ladies are all at home, and so is her majesty!

“I love how Mark takes elements from the past, like his royal palace and WWII flags and updates, scales them up to make them relevant today and keeps his punky feel. for everything.

“Even her prints are one of a kind, each one hand ornate with gold, silver and jewels. I have a huge pink rainbow punk queen in my office/desk and it makes me smile at every time I look at it. The work is so intricate and engaging.

Mark Sloper, 56, said: “I first met Anthea at one of my Saatchi shows in Chelsea and she was talking to my great friend Hugh Cornwell from the Stranglers who was there to support me. He and I found it a bit odd that she knew so much about punk music and knew all the Stranglers songs.

“But then I realized, despite looking so young and pretty, that she was there at the time, and we punks think Miss Turner would be an Abba fan when she also liked our music loud and naughty!”

Mark’s work is collected by celebrities such as Sir Elton John, Sting, Boy George, Danny Dyer, Anthea Turner, John Terry and Sex Pistol drummer Paul Cook.

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