'Mystery man' on The Beatles' Abbey Road album pulls off world's best photobomb

14 March 2024 , 08:33

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Paul Cole was waiting for his wife when the picture was taken (Image: www.alamy.com)

The 'mystery man' on the cover of The Beatles' famous Abbey Road album ended up being part of the world's most epic photobomb. We've all jumped into a photo for fun when we're out and about. But this guy became part of music history without even trying.

On the front of The Beatles' Abbey Road record from 1969, you can see the band crossing a road in a line. But if you look closely, there's a man standing by the road in the background. He's one of the few people caught in the snap, and he didn't mean to be there.

This man, dressed in a brown coat and white shirt, was found years later after numerous people came forward claiming to be him. He's actually an American tourist called Paul Cole, who was waiting for his wife when the picture was taken. He told The Mirror: "[I told her] 'I've seen enough museums. I'll just stay out here and see what's going on outside'."

Who is the mysterious man in the background? (Hinckley Times)

Just then, he saw four guys walking over the zebra crossing and noticed something odd - one of them, Paul McCartney, had no shoes on! He remarked: "I just happened to look up, and I saw those guys walking across the street like a line of ducks.

"A bunch of kooks, I called them, because they were rather radical-looking at that time. You didn't walk around in London barefoot." Paul was amazed when he later spotted himself in the background on an album cover.

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He said: "I saw the album and I recognised myself right away. I had a new sports jacket on and I'd just bought new shell-rimmed glasses. I told my kids, 'Get a magnifying glass out and you'll see me'." Sadly, Paul passed away in 2008, when he was 98 years old.

Paige Freshwater