Mystery of the man holding a dead squirrel on live television revealed

ITV News broadcast was photobombed by a dead squirrel on Wednesday

ITV reporter Romilly Weeks’s live broadcast on the Chilcot inquiry was disrupted this week when a mystery man walked behind her parading a dead squirrel.

The Independent can reveal the protagonist of the incident that quickly went viral was award-winning comedian Kim Noble who is preparing a project that so far remains under wraps.

The performer stressed that photobombing ITV News was not a publicity stunt and that he had visited a number of other notable sites with the squirrel that day including the London Eye.

One source close to the comedian said: “Kim was just wandering around London’s major attractions for the afternoon with a squirrel called Luca for a future project,” before adding: “This is what he does. He didn’t expect this response from friends, family and artists.”

Noble’s unusual shows blend performance, comedy and film. A review by The Independent of his 2009 show Kim Noble Will Die said his “flair for artistic provocation is matched only by his capacity for self-abasement”.

On Noble walking in front of the Houses of Parliament holding the squirrel by its tail, the source continued: “He was just trying to give Luca one final day out before attaching him to a power tool and finding him a new home.”

After the incident, Weeks wrote on Twitter: “Oh dear, upstaged on the lunchtime news by a dead squirrel.”

Noble is to perform his show You’re Not Alone for a month at the Soho Theatre in London from February 3.