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Andy Murray missed out on £18m payday after wife stepped in to stop spending

Andy Murray could have owned one of the most famous contemporary artworks of the century if not for his wife stepping in.

Published: Sunday, 4 October 2026 at 5:30 AM
Andy Murray missed out on £18m payday after wife stepped in to stop spending
Key Things to Know
  • Andy Murray missed out on an £18m payday when his wife halted bidding on Banksy's Girl with Balloon.
  • Kim Sears stopped bidding at the October 2018 auction after the price passed their agreed limit.
  • The artwork sold for £1,042,000 before immediately self-shredding into the famous piece Love Is In The Bin.
The Story in 60 Seconds

Andy Murray missed out on a potential £18 million windfall after his wife, Kim Sears, stopped bidding on Banksy's artwork Girl with Balloon at a Sotheby's auction in October 2018. Murray had asked his wife to bid remotely while he was undergoing rehabilitation in Philadelphia, but Sears halted bidding after the price exceeded their predetermined maximum limit.

The artwork sold to another bidder for £1,042,000 before unexpectedly shredding itself to become Love Is In The Bin. Three years later, the self-shredded piece resold at Sotheby's for a record £18.5 million. Murray admitted he likely would have bid higher had he participated himself.

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