The most tattooed woman in the UK has found love with an unassuming tree surgeon – and he's completely tatt-free.
Becky Holt has spent over 10 years covering her body in inky art, and at the age of 34 she's now Britain's most tattooed woman.
Meanwhile her partner Ben Mason, 23, doesn't have a single tat on his body so they're not the most obvious pairing in the world.
Though they may not seem compatible on the surface their recent photoshoot with OK! tells a completely different story.
The couple's love runs a lot deeper than the tattoos, and they have told how their paths surprisingly came to cross.
Becky told OK!: "Ben and I are like chalk and cheese, in both our looks and our personalities.
"I’m a real extrovert whereas he’s far more reserved. We get odd looks all the time, but somehow our relationship just works.
"When I met Ben at a local pub at the start of last year, I was content and confident with my striking appearance – and he sensed that and found it attractive.
"Ben doesn’t have any tattoos at all so we’re opposites in that respect, but we connected over our love of family and finding the fun in every situation.
"We became best friends, then one evening in December, after a ‘mate date’, everything changed.
"I went in for a drunken snog and he admitted he’d liked me for a long time, but assumed I didn’t feel the same way. We were both shocked that we’d fallen for someone so different.
"Yet everything is so easy with Ben. Instead of trying to change bad boys, which had been my default behaviour, I realised I needed a nice guy – a hard worker with family values.
"He loves my tattoos and gives me big hugs, saying how proud he is of me for owning the attention I get. He says I’m his arm candy!"
Becky also said it doesn't matter that the pair look so different as their "love is bigger than that".
She also said he's thinking about getting a bit of ink, and she'll ensure he goes to the best artist if he decides to. As for what kind of design he'd pick – she thinks a pin-up version of her on his arm would be perfect.
Becky continued: "My interest in body art began aged 15 when I walked into the local tattoo shop with a specific request – I wanted my first love’s name displayed across my bikini line.
"Only the boyfriend – whose idea it was – knew about it. I lied about my age to the tattooist, who looked at me like I was an idiot but did as I asked.
"I inevitably broke up with that boyfriend six months later.
"Mum spotted the tattoo as I bought laundry downstairs in my underwear. 'What the hell is that?' she cried, before telling my disappointed dad, who paid to get it covered up with flowers to conceal the name.
"I also had a bird inked on to my stomach around the same time. These designs were just for me and it felt empowering. I had turned my former ‘tramp stamp’ into artwork.
"I became obsessed with tattoo magazines. The models looked so beautiful and powerful – they were truly embracing themselves and not conforming to the norm.
"In my early twenties, I started getting new tattoos every few months. I began with my arm and then my shoulders and lower back. I’d take modelling jobs to pay for them or use birthday and Christmas money."
Becky then went onto get her own tattoo shop, which was open between 2014 and 2018.
She said it was around this time that she started getting inked about once a week.
"More recently, I’ve had a drawing of a flower emerging from my labia which Ben enjoys," Becky added.
"It was agony, along with the armpits. There’s always some pain, you don’t get used to it, but knowing what to expect helps.
"Sessions can be up to 11 hours, so I watch my iPad, eat chocolate and talk to my Instagram followers.
"I have no idea how many tattoos I have but, I’d say I have one big tattoo as almost every inch of my body is covered, bar some parts of my feet – but that bare space will soon go. To date it has cost me around £35,000 and has taken more than 200 hours.
"I’ve appeared on the covers of tattoo magazines and I’m the face of the biggest tattoo convention in the UK. I’ve never felt more confident. My parents are proud of the statement I make and respect that.
"I’ll take the same view with my daughter Rory (short for Aurora), who is 15 months, when she’s older. I’d be very happy for Rory to get tattooed – just not her high school boyfriend’s name!
"Some people said my tattoos would be ruined by pregnancy, but even though I put on six stone, they were fine.
"Now I’m planning a tattoo dedicated to Ben. My body is my life story – I have tattoos for Rory, my parents, my dog and my best friend and so Ben deserves a spot too."
Becky claims she doesn't regret any of her inkings, as she says they're a part of who she is. She said it feels wrong when she sees old pictures of herself with bare skin.
She continued: "My forehead tattoo was a big step so I mulled it over for years.
"A previous boyfriend said he’d dump me if I had it done, which stopped me getting it for a while. As soon as we broke up I went to the tattoo shop and had 'We can be heroes' just below my hairline – a lyric from my icon David Bowie.
"When Dad saw it, he misread it as, 'Can’t be arsed', which was funny.
"I don’t mind people staring – I do look unusual – but I hate rudeness.
"Luckily, I’m thick-skinned so I don’t take comments to heart.
"I don’t think I’ll ever be done with tattoos. I can always spot a space on my body for more and I’m constantly updating and refreshing my current ones. I love them and so does Ben."
Ben said that he thinks his girlfriend's' tattoos are "beautiful", and when he saw her naked for the first time he simply thought "wow."
He said he never gets bored of looking at his beautiful partner, and he's always finding a new one he hasn't seen.
"I’m not surprised people look at her and I love the attention she gets – and knowing she’s chosen me," he said.
"I feel like I’m showing off when I’m with her. I don’t even mind men messaging her on OnlyFans. We both trust each other completely.
"When I first spotted her at my local pub, standing out from the crowd, I knew I had to speak to her. I asked her for a cigarette and we made small talk before going our separate ways.
"A few weeks later I saw her in the pub again. She said 'Have you come back for another fag?', and we both laughed, chatting all night and swapping numbers.
"Soon, we were constantly texting and meeting for dinner. Despite not looking like your typical couple, we’re perfect for each other.
"The moment I truly fell for Becky was when she brought her daughter Rory along to dinner and I saw what an incredible mum she is. I’d love for us to have children together one day.
"The fact we met in real life rather than online helped. If I’d have seen her on social media I might have felt intimidated, but in person we had a clear connection. We never think about our looks – we’re more interested in our conversation.
"I’ve wanted a tattoo for a while and since being with Becky that desire has increased, but I’m indecisive about what to get. I’m happier than ever with Becky. Her tattoos are part of what makes her who she is and I love everything about her."
