Darryn Lyons (born 19 August 1965) is an Australian media personality, entrepreneur and politician, who rose to prominence in Australia and the United Kingdom as a paparazzo.
Born in Geelong, Victoria, Australia on 19 August 1965, Lyons grew up the youngest of three children in the suburb of Herne Hill, and later Leopold.
He gained widespread media attention when his company sold a photograph to the News of the World, which was used to support a claim that football star David Beckham was having an affair with his personal assistant Rebecca Loos.
[6] The company often faced legal action relating to invasion of privacy and harassment, from celebrities including Sienna Miller,[7] Lily Allen,[8] JK Rowling,[9] Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley.
[12] Lyons subsequently established the Mr Paparazzi Celebrity Deals company and became a shareholder of another firm called BPGG Limited, facilitating the purchase of Big Pictures' assets for £164,000.
[16] He was one of the five venture capitalists on the 2005 Australian version of the reality television programme Dragons' Den, which ended after one season after poor ratings.
[17] In 2007, Lyons appeared on the British reality television shows Tycoon,[18] and Deadline, as a picture editor and camera instructor.
In 2011, he appeared in the British Top Gear television show, representing Australia in a double-decker car race in the theme of The Ashes.
Within a few days of entering the Big Brother house, Lyons unveiled his cosmetic "six-pack", which caused a high volume of media coverage for being a "sculpted six pack seemingly implanted atop his generous gut".
[25] Lyons has advocated for building a cruise ship pier on the Geelong waterfront to boost the city's economy with tourism.