Biography
Darryn Lyons is the face behind one of the world’s biggest picture agencies and the ultimate celebrity guru. His aim is simple, yet effective, “I like thinking and, if you're going to be thinking, you may as well think Big!”
In 1987, at the age of 22, he arrived in London with $500 and a determination to take on and beat the world’s best – “if you can dream it, you can do it”. Initially he began freelancing for the Daily Mail. He covered 2 or 3 shifts a day and was soon taken on full-time.
Between 1991 and 92 he completed two tours of Sarajevo as a war correspondent. Over the following couple of years he was kidnapped in Bosnia, covered revolutions in both Romania – he was one of the first in to brave the sniper fire in Timisoara - and Czechoslovakia. He also covered the momentous fall of the Berlin Wall and, uniquely, won the Award for best Press photographer and best News photographer.
Whilst still at the Daily Mail, he set up his first business, Big Pictures, in 1992. Lyons began employing people whilst still fulfilling his obligations at the Mail; the business was run from a one bedroom flat in Muswell Hill. The following year saw the first real commercial office and just twelve months later Big Pictures had moved to a four storey building on Clerkenwell Road. Lyons continued at the Mail for two years after the inception of Big Pictures, working 24 / 7 and building a solid business of his own.
Big Pictures had been performing extremely powerfully, but once Lyons went full time at Big turnover increased even more rapidly. Turnover leapt from the £300K mark to a million, since then it has increased by 100% year on year every year. The figure now stands at around £7 million.
Despite the success of the picture agency, Lyons is a man who cannot stand still. “Achieve the unachievable” is his motto and, in fairness, he’s not doing badly for a boy from Geelong!
In 1995 the BBC screened the first series of show based entirely on Lyons and his commercial operations. Entitled ‘Paparazzi’ it was screened on the flagship BBC1 and attracted excellent figures. Though the BBC was his first appearance in a starring role, Lyons is no stranger to the small screen and in 2005 appeared on the acclaimed ‘Dragon’s Den’ business series aired by Channel 7 in Australia. The series aimed to bring five of Australia’s best business brains and their own money together with aspiring entrepreneurs who would pitch for investment. Again, the show was a ratings winner. As a result of the show Darryn has got involved with various businesses including the Lusty Threads online bikini store and a company producing eco-friendly and economic cardboard coffins!
Tiger Aspect’s ‘Deadline,’ was one of Darryn’s projects in 2007, where he fired a celebrity each week, when they weren’t up to the challenge of putting together a celeb magazine. The 8 week show was a huge success- and is currently being pitched globally.
With a weekly slot on ITV1’s Alan Titchmarsh show, Sky’s paper review, weekly columns, radio shows, and other regular television appearances, it’s surprising that Darryn has found the time to set up his own production company - ‘Big Pictures Productions.’ However, the company has thrived, and already has a number of co-productions under its belt that have been sold around the world.
There is no end game in sight; he is not the retiring type. There are more ideas and strategies to bring to fruition first. His aim is simple, to be the biggest and the best in the world. As Lyons says himself, “I started out with $500, if I go back with $500, I’ve had a bloody good time.” He isn’t going anywhere. Lyons set out to bring energy, professionalism and not a little colour into the world of agencies. What he has done is build an empire around business acumen, common sense, and a good deal of daring.