Roman Kemp has never treated tattoos as background decoration. He talks about them as part of his life, and it shows in the stories spread across his chest, stomach, arms, back and legs. There’s a large eagle, a lion, an anchor wrapped with a lizard, a shark, a swallow with a rose, plus smaller pieces tied to friends, music and old jokes.

Some of the ink carries real weight; some of it is meant to be funny. That mix is what makes Roman’s collection feel like his own. He has joked that he’s addicted to getting tattooed, even though he still hates the pain. He also tries to keep new work in places that won’t complicate his television jobs.

The eagle across his chest is the main event

The first tattoo most people notice is the large eagle spread across Roman’s chest. Its wings reach toward his shoulders, making it far more prominent than a small chest emblem. The bold, traditional style is made to read from a distance, and gives the front of his torso a clear focal point.

The eagle also helps make sense of the rest of his ink. There are plenty of small bits of lettering and personal details, but this is the piece that brings the upper body together. In shirtless photos, its wings frame the chest as other designs fill the space around them.

There’s no need to assign it a complicated meaning. Roman has spoken openly about his tattoos, but there isn’t one definitive explanation in the public record for every line of the eagle. What’s clear is that it’s a big, confident image and one of his signature pieces.

The lion and eagle beach tattoo shows how dense the collection is

Recent TV footage gave viewers a better look at the tattoos covering Roman’s torso. A lion and eagle design spans his chest, with more ink running down his stomach and around his sides. Seeing the wider area makes a difference: in close-up portraits the tattoos can look like separate pieces, but from farther back they form a much larger picture.

That picture includes a snake and a scorpion on his stomach, as well as smaller marks on his arms. Footage from Celebrity Race Across the World also shows how the placement shifts as Roman moves. A tattoo hidden under a shirt can come into view when he reaches or turns to the side.

The chest work feels darker and heavier than some of his smaller lettering. It anchors the overall look, while the little details keep the collection from seeming like one perfectly planned sleeve.

The swallow and rose are a tribute to Joe Lyons

One of Roman’s most meaningful pieces is a swallow holding a rose on his forearm. It matches a tattoo his friend and producer Joe Lyons had. Joe died in 2020, and Roman has spoken about his loss and his efforts to encourage more open conversations about men’s mental health.

It’s a familiar tattoo pairing, but the story behind it is particular to them. Roman didn’t choose the swallow just because it looked good on an arm; it’s a shared design that keeps a friendship close. The rose softens the bird, and the placement makes it easy for him to see.

He later joked about another bird tattoo linked to Joe, saying he used to tease his friend because it looked like a pigeon. That humour belongs to the story too. Roman’s tattoos don’t turn memories into something overly polished; they leave room for affection, grief and the jokes that stay with you after someone is gone.

The snake and scorpion sit on his stomach

Two of the bolder designs on Roman’s stomach are a snake and a scorpion. They’re easy to miss when he’s dressed, but stand out in beach photos that show his torso. Their darker, traditional style sits alongside the funny lettering and jokes from friends elsewhere in the collection.

The snake runs down the side of his body, with the scorpion lower on his stomach. They work with the shape of his torso instead of looking like separate stickers, and add a different kind of movement to the collection. The eagle spreads across his chest; the snake and scorpion draw the eye lower.

Roman hasn’t described the two designs as part of one symbolic statement, so it’s best to stick with what’s visible. They’re striking pieces and help explain why his tattoos look so extensive whenever he takes his shirt off.

The tiny bird tattoo turned a private joke into a tribute

Roman also got the small bird tattoo Joe had on his leg. He said he used to make fun of it, calling it an ugly pigeon. After Joe died, that same image became a way to remember him. The change in how he sees the tattoo says a lot about the way his collection has grown with his life.

It’s not a large piece, and it isn’t trying to compete with the eagle or lion. Its meaning comes from the story: a small outline connected to a friend, a running joke and the loss of someone important.

It also shows why a list of Roman Kemp’s tattoos is about more than naming the animals. The images matter, but so do the relationships behind them. For Roman, a bird can be a joke, a tribute or both at once.

Ed Sheeran and Niall Horan left their marks too

Roman has let famous friends tattoo him, with some pretty mixed results. Ed Sheeran wrote “Ed woz ’ere 2k7” on Roman’s shin, and Niall Horan added the words “Nice to melt ya”. Horan meant it as a play on his song “Nice To Meet Ya”, but the typo stayed on Roman’s leg.

These fit the more playful side of the collection. They were never meant to be perfect lettering; they’re keepsakes from friendships and moments when someone picked up a tattoo machine and left a permanent punchline.

Roman has also been photographed with Bart Simpson tattooed on his leg. It’s another detail that stops the collection from taking itself too seriously. Beside the memorial swallow, the chest eagle and the stomach designs, Bart adds a bit more personality.

Roman says the collection is still growing

Roman got his first tattoo at 17 and has kept adding to the collection since. He’s said the process can feel addictive, though he now uses numbing cream because he doesn’t want to sit through hours of pain. He has joked about running out of real estate on his body, a funny way to say there isn’t much bare skin left.

That helps explain why the tattoos feel like a patchwork. They weren’t all mapped out as one big project; they came at different times and connect to different people and chapters. The result has a strong visual centre, meaningful tributes and plenty of room for jokes.

Roman Kemp’s tattoos make the most sense as a scrapbook. The eagle and lion give his chest its scale; the snake and scorpion add drama. The swallow and bird keep Joe’s memory close, while the Ed Sheeran and Niall Horan pieces hold onto friendships in a deliberately messy way.

It feels lived in, which may be why there are still new chapters to come.

Watch Roman talk about his tattoos