Man Spent £20,000 On Tattoos , Now Struggles To Find A Job

He's Britain's most-tattooed man, with 80 per cent of his body covered in ink.

But 33-year-old Mathew Whelan is now struggling to find work as a
result of his devotion to body art.

After spending 300 hours in the tattooist's chair and having paid more
than £20,000 for designs, Mr Whelan is currently volunteering in the
office of a Liberal Democrat MP.

He has also changed his name to King Body Art The Extreme Ink-ite or,
alternatively, King of Inkland.

Mr Whelan says body modification is a culture, a way of life and
almost a religion.
Body Art has expressed his wish to educate the world on his colourful beliefs.

But he also volunteers at the office of Liberal Democrat MP John
Hemmings in Yardley, in Birmingham.

Mr Whelan, from Birmingham, said: 'I've got so much respect for the
history of body modification.

'It's an art and a culture and when a group of kids stare at me, I'll
talk to them an explain the history of it.

'People who do what I do treat their body like a temple. Like
Christian's have Jesus, we have our bodies.'

He says he has wanted tattoos since the age of nine after seeing his
Dad's and Uncle's.

The enthusiast got his first one, a British Bulldog with a blank
scroll, at the age of 16.

Snakes, scorpions, eyeballs and vampires are among the illustrations
that cover 80 percent of his body.
He even has one of his eyeballs tattooed white.

Mr Whelan said: 'I'm fully aware of the risks involved. For my
eyeball, I went to the opticians beforehand and got several opinions.'

He has set up his own non-profit organisation, called Modify, to help
those with body modifications to work.

He said: 'For me it's a lifestyle. I have a personal belief in
skinology and bodistry which is my adaptation of skin and story of the
body.

'I don't see why someone should be discriminated against just because
of the way they look, so I want to help those people as much as I can
to find employment.'

The ex-wrestler now works as a body modification model and volunteers
for the Liberal Democrats.

He said: 'When I die I want to leave my body to a museum or a member
of my family.

'There's someone in Canada who has already asked if he can have my
skull to use as a paint pot.'