David Hockney denies criticising Damien Hirst

Artist David Hockney has denied attacking Damien Hirst for using assistants to complete his works.

Hockney was reported to be criticising Hirst when he told Andrew Marr in a Radio Times interview that the practice was "a little insulting to craftsmen".

But the Royal Academy of Arts, which is staging a major Hockney exhibition, has issued a statement on his behalf.

The artist "has not made any comments which imply criticism of another artist's working practices", it said.

Listen to an excerpt from Andrew Marr's radio interview with David Hockney, first broadcast on 26 December on Radio 4's Start the Week.