Most tattooed man in Britain takes a trip down memory lane in amazing before-and-after post

Birmingham, UK - Matthew Whelan, who claims to be Britain's most tattooed, has long shocked fans with his radical body art. But a photo revealing what he looked like before his radical transformation is somehow even more remarkable!

Matthew Whelan is known as Britain's most tattooed man, but he wasn't always that way.
Matthew Whelan is known as Britain's most tattooed man, but he wasn't always that way.  © Collage: Screenshots/Instagram/@king_b0dy_art

The 43-year-old Englishman and alleged world record holder for the most tattoos ever drawn on a body at one time, changed his legal name to "HRM The King of Inkland," after having spent more than $30,000 on tattoos.

With thousands of followers on Instagram, where he goes by @king_b0dy_art, Whelan has become known not only for his extraordinary appearance, but for dog pics and political musings as well.

Only last month, The King of Inkland shared his desire to amputate his leg in a radical body modification. Now, he has given fans a glimpse into his life before he embarked on his amazing journey.

In an Instagram post, Whelan revealed a photo of himself at the age of 16, shirtless and sporting only a British bulldog tattoo on his right arm.

"This is a throwback to the time of my skin only have one tattoo," he wrote in the post. "I was in better condition back then too and would have probably been on the wrestling team had we had one in high school."

Despite having chosen to put a pause on his transformation due to the UK's cost-of-living crisis, Whelan told his followers "When your plans don't work out don't get stressed, go to sleep and get ready to go again the next day."

Cover photo: Collage: Screenshots/Instagram/@king_b0dy_art

More on Tattoos: