'News raider' Paul Yarrow made media debut in Streatham Guardian (From Your Local Guardian)

'News raider' Paul Yarrow made media debut in Streatham Guardian

2:28pm Thursday 29th July 2010 in

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He is the "news raider" famous for appearing more than 100 times behind newsreaders on national TV, but one of Paul Yarrow's first media appearances was on the pages of the Streatham Guardian.

The former Herne Hill resident has hit cult status in recent months after being repeatly spotted at the scenes of news bulletins from everyone from the BBC to Al Jazeera, and yesterday made national headlines for his antics.

But in October 2008, he got a taste for life in front of the camera lens when he contacted the Streatham Guardian concerned about London Mayor Boris Johnson scrapping half price travel for thousands of Londoners on income support.

Months later, the full-time carer began to attend news events, because he was often demonstrating about the issue the news item covered.

His TV "career" began when British National Party leader Nick Griffin was invited to appear on the BBC’s Question Time and he was caught on camera at a protest outside BBC centre.

After watching himself back he decided to launch a campaign to get himself on camera as much as he could to show how "he didn't fit in witht the image consicous media".

He told the Streatham Guardian: "Noone would interview me. People have a perception overweight people are simple and not worth talking to. The news crews would always try and push me aside.

"The news reporter would always speak to someone else, so now I make a point of standing in shot. It's a statement for normal people to get noticed by the image conscious media."

His cult status began when his continuos appeances on TV were picked up on by comedian Russell Howard.

Facebook groups and fansites were set up, and Mr Yarrow has been contacted by fans from throughout the world.