Darryn Lyons was born on 19 August 1965 and is an Australian media personality, entrepreneur and politician, who rose to prominence in Australia and the United Kingdom as a paparazzo.
23 Facts About Darryn Lyons
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Darryn Lyons held the position of Mayor of Geelong from 2013 to 2016.
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Darryn Lyons's father was an architect and the choirmaster of the Aberdeen Street Baptist Church, and designed the family's "cathedral-like" house.
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In 1993, Darryn Lyons founded the picture company Big Pictures, which supplied paparazzi-style photography for news organisations.
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Darryn Lyons 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.
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Darryn Lyons gave evidence at the 2007 inquest into Diana's death.
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Darryn Lyons often faced legal action relating to invasion of privacy and harassment, from celebrities including Sienna Miller, Lily Allen, JK Rowling, Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley.
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In 2013, Darryn Lyons announced plans to launch an online celebrity stock photographic agency called Celebstock, however these plans did not eventuate.
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Darryn Lyons has frequently appeared on radio and television programmes, including the Sky News Sunrise programme, LK Today, Australian radio shows Kyle and Jackie O Show and Hughsey and Kate, and a role as a weekly commentator on ITV1's Alan Titchmarsh Show.
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Darryn Lyons has written for the Geelong Advertiser newspaper and NW magazine.
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Darryn Lyons 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.
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In 2007, Darryn Lyons appeared on the British reality television shows Tycoon, and Deadline, as a picture editor and camera instructor.
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Darryn Lyons appeared on the British panel show Through the Keyhole.
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Darryn Lyons became a housemate in the UK version of Celebrity Big Brother on Channel 5, entering the house in August 2011.
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In 2012, Darryn Lyons was a contestant in the Australian show Excess Baggage.
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In 2013, Darryn Lyons announced his candidacy for the City of Greater Geelong 2013 mayoral election.
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Darryn Lyons was declared elected after the distribution of preferences on 25 November 2013; Lyons garnered almost 30 per cent of the first preference votes, more than double the primary votes than the second-placed candidate.
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Darryn Lyons has advocated for building a cruise ship pier on the Geelong waterfront to boost the city's economy with tourism.
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Darryn Lyons ran as an Independent candidate in the 2018 Victorian state election but was unsuccessful.
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Darryn Lyons's fiancee was Elissa Friday, a former model and a student who now lists herself as single on her Instagram account.
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Darryn Lyons was formerly married to Melanie Whitehead, who left him in 2000.
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Darryn Lyons is a friend of former Melbourne mayor Robert Doyle, who supported Darryn Lyons during his 2013 electoral campaign.
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Darryn Lyons has acknowledged drug abuse, binge drinking and heavy gambling during his life abroad.