Jeremy Vine has revealed he got his first tattoo after his teenage daughter asked him to get a matching inking over the weekend.
The broadcaster shared the unexpected news during a chat with his BBC Radio 2 colleague Vernon Kay on Monday, while discussing what was coming up on his show.
Kay, curious about Vine’s weekend activities, was left surprised when Vine admitted: “I got a tattoo.”
He then added: “I’ve got myself a tattoo of a lyric from The Smiths.”
As Kay pressed for details, Vine explained that the tattoo was inspired by his 18-year-old daughter, who is a devoted fan of the iconic band like himself.
“She said, ‘When I turn 18, can I have a tattoo?’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ And then she said, ‘Will you get the other half?’”
To Kay’s astonishment, Vine rolled up his shirt sleeve and revealed the inking, which features lyrics from The Smiths’ 1984 song Still Ill.
His daughter chose the first half, “For there are brighter sides to life,” while Vine got the second half: “And I should know, because I’ve seen them, but not very often.”
Vine marvelled at his daughter’s musical taste, saying: “It wasn’t my suggestion, so the 18-year-olds are now into The Smiths, isn’t that amazing?”
When asked if the tattoo hurt, Vine brushed it off and said: “No, it didn’t,” before warmly adding: “I would have taken anything in tattoo form to be a part of my lovely daughter’s life.”
Later on, Vine proudly displayed the tattoo on The Jeremy Vine Show on Channel 5, tying it into a discussion about whether you can ever be too old for body art.
Taking off his jacket, he showcased the design and shared a video of himself getting the tattoo at Hammersmith’s Blue Tattoo studio, as well as a rare photo of him with his daughter.
The journalist, who lives in West London with his wife Rachel Schofield, is a proud father to two daughters, Martha and Anna. However, he didn’t specify which of his daughters he got the matching tattoo with.
