Peak District photographer Villager Jim unmasked

An anonymous wildlife photographer – dubbed a photographic Banksy – has been unmasked for the first time on television.

Villager Jim is the man behind some of the most iconic recent images of the Peak District and its animal inhabitants, although almost nothing is known about the man behind the camera.

But following last Sunday’s broadcast of BBC 1’s Countryfile, we know one thing for certain – what he looks like.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Villager Jim, whose photographic success was documented in the show, confessed he was initially unsure about revealing himself.

He said: “It was a difficult choice I had to take but also something I could not miss out on. People still don’t know my name.

“I love the fact most people don’t know who I am, it allows me to stay incognito and enjoy the persona of Villager Jim, which has taken a life of its own, and I find that amazingly exciting.”

The Peak District photographer’s social media following has increased by three thousand since the show aired, and he now has nearly 20,000 fans on Facebook.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

His work has also been made into greetings cards, which have sold in their tens of thousands from outlets around the country.

“The range at Chatsworth House doing incredibly well with our products being on both the Dukes and the Duchesses tables of favourite things” added Jim. “And we have been entered into the 2014 Henries Awards - which is the equivalent of the greetings card Oscars, so fingers crossed for that one. But for me the future is being able to go out every morning and travel the country lanes of the Peak District and take fun shots - Villager Jim is a very very happy chap doing what he loves best.”