Nope, Ed Sheeran’s Chest Tattoo Is Not Cecil The Lion

Instagram/Getty

Bad news Cecil fans – that massive tattoo Ed Sheeran’s had inked on his chest is NOT a tribute to the beloved late lion.

Rumours ran rampant after Ed posted a photo of his new ink on social media, with pretty much every news outlet assuming it was the beloved lion, but, although the timing of the tattoo couldn’t be more perfect, the reason behind the design is actually entirely different.

In fact, the singer/songwriter chose the design to commemorate last month’s sold out shows at Wembley stadium, which is also the home of the England football team.

Of course, the national side are known as ‘The Three Lions’, hence the thinking behind the inking. Although why he only went for one lion instead of a trio all over his chest remains a mystery bigger than whether or not Jericho the lion is still alive.

Speaking to the BBC about the tattoo before his opening night show, Sheeran said:

Originally I was going to get the floor plan tattooed on my side, but that seemed a bit ridiculous!

He eventually settled on the much less ridiculous humongous lion design and booked a session with celebrity tattooist Kevin Paul.

Ed already has dozens of tattoos, from a teddy bear to a ketchup bottle, all of which represent career highs for the musician.

UNILAD