Irish artist Rasher says he is still dealing with the confusion over his inclusion in the Craig Doyle-fronted RTÉ TV show Ireland's Top Earners, which aired over Christmas.

Rasher told The Diary: "The problem was when they got to No 6 on the list, which was somebody worth €41m, Craig did a piece on what millionaires do with their money. He said they invested in work by artists like me and they showed some footage of me working in my studio.

"This went out at 11pm during Christmas when most people had drink on them and weren't listening to what Craig was saying. They woke up the next morning thinking I was worth €41m."

Rasher now finds himself under scrutiny from friends and neighbours. "I've had people coming up to my family going, 'I saw Rasher down the town the other day and he's still in the same normal clothes he's been wearing for years. You'd never know he was worth €41m.' People need to know, I'm not worth €41m because I don't want any of those Tiger kidnappings going on. I could end up on the top of some mountain with the kidnappers chopping off my hands and toes. I'd advise any potential kidnappers to check out my house first. It is not the home of a man worth €41m."

He might not have millions, but the Bray artist is in such demand, he's run off his feet doing commissions. "When I left school in 1995 people were saying to me, 'You've picked the perfect time to be an artist,'" says Rasher. "I didn't know what they were talking about as all I have ever wanted to do was paint. It wasn't a career move."