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IT'S HIP TO BE INKED.
FROM ARTISTIC EXPRESSIONS TO TRENDY FASHION STATEMENTS, THE FOUR MAESTROS OF LONDON INK GET DOWN TO BUSINESS

After a successful first season, the London tattoo studio opens its doors again in LONDON INK 2, with bigger and better premises and more celebrity clients queuing up to be inked. From having to comfort clients with a low pain threshold to designing unique images to commemorate life events, the four tattoo artists at the LONDON INK studio practice their trade with skill and professionalism, while handling their own personal battles. LONDON INK 2 premieres every Sunday at 2300 hrs (11:00 pm SIN/HK) beginning January 25. Encores every Monday at 0400 hrs (4:00 am).

Revealing the highs, lows and daily challenges of running a top tattoo studio, LONDON INK 2 showcases the talents and passion of four diverse artists, each with their signature style. Heading the team is Louis Molloy, an experienced London tattooist whose famous clients include footballer David Beckham and his wife Victoria. Louis is joined by Danish bad boy Dan Gold who brings a unique graffiti-inspired style, New Yorker Phil with his old school style and New Zealander Nikole Lowe who specializes in Japanese designs.

This season, among their clientele are celebrities such as singer Ronan Keating, cricketer Andrew Flintoff and ex-Page Three girl Sam Fox, as well as less famous but equally challenging customers. The four tattooists deal with situations that include tattooing an entire bridal party in one afternoon, refashioning unwanted designs... and trading tattooing sessions for parachuting lessons!

Premiere episode descriptions:

Episode 1
The studio opens for business in new premises, and the clients are queuing up. Louis deals with model and TV personality Jodie Marsh's request for a pin-up girl on her arm, and gives David Beckham look-alike Andy a fallen angel design.

Nikole deals sensitively with some heartfelt requests. There's a dragonfly tattoo for a young man whose brother has passed away, and a very special first-timer - a 70 year old woman. Phil wows the studio with an amazing peacock cover-up on a beautiful female client, and Dan makes a young American tourist's dream come true with a tattoo homage to London.

On a personal front, Dan is keen to replace his bad ways with a fitness regime. Dan's bosom buddy and Olympic high Ben Challenger agrees to put Dan through his paces in exchange for a tattoo. But when Dan turns up six hours late to tattoo Ben, it's clearly going to be harder to break with the past than he thinks.

We meet butcher Tony Luckhurst, who gets a meat-and-butcher inspired half-sleeve done over the course of the series. Tattooist Louis heads down to Tony's shop for some ideas, and becomes nostalgic as he reveals that he was once a butcher's boy. Back at the tattoo studio, an inspired Louis completes the first stage of this body of work - a milk maiden wielding a meat cleaver.

Episode 2
It's all glamour at the studio this week, as London Ink opens its doors to a bevy of famous British beauties. When Page Three legend Sam Fox comes in with partner Myra, Louis works tirelessly to finish Sam's ornate design, but Dan's fun and games stretches the limits of Myra's pain threshold.

Everyone has a good laugh when Bollywood actor and former footballer Jordan Ali comes in for a cover-up of ex-girlfriend Alicia Douvall's name. It's a terrible tattoo and Louis leads the attack. Phil transforms Jordan's tattoo into a beautiful rose-based design, but has to work quickly and carefully on his grim-faced client, as Jordan struggles with the pain.
Louis is left feeling uncomfortable when Rebecca Loos comes in for a tattoo from Dan. With the studio atmosphere thick with tension, the boss's professionalism is put to the test. Another of Dan's clients, beautiful pole dancing instructor Lucy, lightens the atmosphere when she puts up a pole in the studio. The team is soon swinging around it, and Nikole is a natural.

Phil opens up about his mother during a man-to-man chat with a client, revealing that she has recently recovered from cancer. Client Daniel talks about family too, explaining that his tattoo is a tribute to his grandfather.

The search for a London Ink apprentice is on, and Phil and Louis lose their cool when a wannabe apprentice confesses to tattooing himself and his friends at home.

Episode 3
Boxing royalty comes to London Ink in the form of Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton. Ricky's having a tattoo done by Louis, but finds himself holding the needle at the end of the day when excited boxing fan Nikole has him ink a pair of gloves on her thigh.

Nikole finds herself out of her comfort zone when her client asks for a tattoo that combines two different styles - old school and Japanese. She's initially reluctant, but perseveres and is thrilled with the results.

Dan travels to a Lancashire aerodrome to meet a client who wants a tribute to his grandfather. It's the same town that Dan was sent to live in as a troubled child. He visits his old home, which is a catalyst for him to open up about his difficult childhood.

Current problems at home cause Dan to turn up six hours late for an appointment, and his client's father isn't happy. But when Dan does eventually arrive, he turns on the charm and puts a smile on everyone's face.

The team take on a new apprentice, but have they signed up for more than they can handle?

Episode 4
There's a farmyard atmosphere in the studio as bird-phobic Dan faces a chicken at work. He confronts his fears to tattoo a very special young woman with a marvellous brightly coloured chicken.

More animals turn up when visiting tattooist Bob Tyrell brings two husky dogs as inspiration for his first tattoo of the week - a husky on the shoulder of a dog rescue worker. Bob and Louis show off their skills as grand old men of tattooing with two signature pieces. Louis creates a stir with his photo realistic Marmite jar tattoo on a man who's obsessed with the stuff, while Bob tattoos two musical heroes on a Billy Joel and Elton John impersonator.

Dan and Nikole approach portrait tattoos in their own inimitable fashion. Dan feels the strain as he tattoos a portrait of Stephen Fry on a young woman who admires Britain's most avuncular character for his stand on mental health, while Nikole tattoos a portrait of a young man's fiancé. Nikole is also presented with the challenge of tattooing professional dancer Vicci Hamilton, who wants a pair of ballet shoes on the back of her neck in commemoration of her deceased mother.

The highlight of Dan's week comes from his son, Yan. Dan has long wanted to have one of his Yan's designs on his leg, and after some disagreement, a visit to the sealife centre gives Dan the shark design he wants. Fellow father Phil is only too pleased to ink this on Dan.

Episode 5
It's a showcase of talent at London Ink this week. Louis shows why he's the celebrities' choice with his work on three Boyzone members. Shane's engine design fills up his arm, while Ronan battles through the pain when overhauling his existing Celtic cross. Mikey Graham is thrilled with the transformation of a small, much mocked tribal squiggle into a more menacing design. Louis also enjoys himself with fellow man-of-the-world Scott Dick, who's there to commemorate his criminal mastermind father.

Nikole comes up with tattoos for a couple celebrating their second year of civil partnership. She is excited with her design that is split between their two arms. Phil helps out stunt man Nick Mcleness' macho image with a cover-up skull tattoo and shares a death-defying story of his own.

It's mayhem in the studio when Phil and Nikole deal with a bridal party of five bridesmaids and a happy couple who are all having tattoos done. The pair work hard to complete the tattoos in one afternoon.

Tony the butcher is back in the studio to continue the work on his half sleeve and Louis is unusually challenged by a string of sausages included in the design.

Dan takes apprentice Jacob under his wing in order to enlighten him about the world of graffiti art at a new gallery just around the corner.

Episode 6
Louis and Phil tattoo a father and daughter. Louis inks a design inspired by sculptor Anthony Gormley on the dad, and Phil shows yet again why he's one of the best in the business as he tattoos the young girl through her pain threshold.

Dan tattoos some beautiful skin as model Alex Sim-Wise gets a sexy pin-up done on her stomach. He also shows off his graffiti skills on a retro design for soul singer Chloe. Nikole reveals a secret fetish whilst tattooing one of her signature koi carp design on boxing referee Mark Fairman. Nikole and Phil ink
a goth twin each and approach the matching magpie tattoos in their own inimitable styles.

Louis completes his incredible tattoo on Tony the butcher and is proud as punch with the result. But that isn't the only thing making Louis happy this week. In return for an angel tattoo on parachute instructor Toby's arm, Louis is offered the chance to do a sky jump. The other tattooists are in a mischievous mood as they watch Louis make a leap into the unknown, and land, with perfection, in his pinstripe suit.