The buyer of an original Mr Blobby costume has backed out of the £62,000 purchase less than an hour after placing the winning bid.
The outfit was listed on online auction site eBay for £39, but the starting price rocketed as the bids multiplied.
The seller, who wishes to remain anonymous, said they were not surprised when the eventual buyer backed out.
The former BBC employee admitted they were "shocked" the lurid costume had attracted so much attention.
The outfit had been intended for an overseas version of Noel's House Party – the TV show where the clumsy pink character found fame – but ultimately the show did not go ahead and nobody from the production team wanted it, said the owner, explaining how it came into their possession.
It is in need of some repair, including the reattachment of both arms, and has been sitting at the seller's home since the 1990s.
A house move prompted the seller to list Mr Blobby for auction, and led to a freefall of 178 bids.
"I thought it would get to a level of £100 perhaps – and so I was shocked really that it reached the level it did," they said.
"I think it was one of those things that was driven by social media."
The attention thrust the seller into the limelight, bringing a string of interview offers from media outlets, but they chose to remain anonymous and see what happened.
Despite the winner of the auction bidding 10 times, they pulled out of the sale within an hour of placing the mammoth bid.
Under eBay's terms and conditions, winning an auction is a commitment to buy an item, but the selling platform cannot enforce this by law.
"Ironically, it was being sold not to make money but to make space," said the seller.
"I don't think you can lose something you've never had," they added, reflecting on their £62,000 'loss'.
Sadly Mr Blobby aficionados will not find the pink and yellow costume back on eBay any time soon, as the owner has decided to keep him around for a little longer – at least for now.
However, other sellers appear keen to cash in on Mr Blobby's mini revival, as other costumes have since popped up on eBay for high prices, including one listed for £15,000. At the time of writing, it had no bids.
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