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Never has the pantomime call of "he's behind you" been so appropriate, so often. This is Paul Yarrow, the man who's been on the news over 100 times this year, just by standing behind the newsreader making his or her report to camera.

Typically in a beige sweater, occasionally on his phone, his rotund appearances at news hot spots are becoming as regular as bumping into an old work colleague for the beleaguered reporters in front of 'the news raider'.

His TV CV includes the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky news and al-Jazeera - but it's not just limited to the news. He's also a fan of old collectibles, as seen by his appearance on The Antiques Roadshow.

But how does he do it? How does he always know where to be? The 42-year-old from Southwark has said that it's not some magical gift, but "you just have to watch the news and use your common sense to know where the cameras will be."

When he's not cropping up in news reports, it seems that our man Yarrow is also a bit of a good Samaritan, doing his part to help save hospitals and care for the injured and sick, nominated for a host of awards with The South London Press, including Community Champion, Good Samaritan and Carer of the Year.

We might look on it all as a bit of a laugh, but it turns out that he has a message to deliver. Sick of slim and trim and polished professionals being the only ones allowed on screen, Paul is making a stand (literally) for us average joes who don't normally get any screentime to make their points known.

He told The Evening Standard: "Being overweight I get ignored. I could have a valid point about something but the microphone is always passed to the person alongside me." But rest assured, Paul, after you've been discovered, you'll be getting plenty of attention, don't you worry.

Take a look at the assembled footage those clever lads over at Russell Howard's Good News put together of Paul's exploits, then after, check out our stills gallery of his greatest hits. He does love a good bit of news, our Paul.




After a building fire in Peckham:


At the Parliament Square demonstrations:


Once again at Parliament Square:


After news that the Yorkshire Ripper wasn't to be released:


At a Unite-BA press conference:


And during Gaza protests in London:
For a monster gallery of everything he's been seen on (well, almost everything) click here. It's getting bigger every day. The man's unstoppable! Kind of. Maybe.



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