Telethon: The West Australian journalist Ben O’Shea reveals secret plan behind Fat Cat tattoo inked live on TV

The West Australian’s Ben O’Shea has ensured this year’s Telethon will be one he’ll never forget, getting a tattoo of Telethon icon Fat Cat live on-air in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Hosting his customary Slumber Party overnight alongside Sunrise reporter Matt Tinney and local entertainer Famous Sharron, the senior journalist vied to achieve something he believed had never been done in the fundraising event’s 58-year history.

“For the first time, I think, in the history of Telethon we’re getting a tattoo live on-air,” O’Shea declared.

“But what exactly I’m getting tattooed... that’s gonna remain a secret.”

As the senior reporter lay chest-down on an impromptu tattoo table, artist Bec Nguyen went to work on O’Shea’s lower left leg as his co-hosts continued to run the show from the broadcast sofa.

However, when pushed to unmask the famous face, the film critic refused to spoil the surprise.

“All I’m going to say... it’s someone extremely famous, someone extremely important to Western Australia and Telethon but we’ll have to wait and see,” he said.

“And it stings a little bit, I’ve gotta be honest. It’s a little spicy back there.”

Finally unveiling the finished product — a monotonal portrait of Fat Cat — the reporter plans to carry the spirit of Telethon with him forever.

Hours later, with the ink still damp, O’Shea revealed he had kept his grand plans under wraps for two months.

“Very few people knew it was going to happen, and even less knew exactly what the tattoo was going to be of,” he told colleagues.

The reporter also boasts ink on his inner-arm that depicts two birds alongside his daughter’s name.

While he’s no stranger to the tattoo gun, the father sought to remind youngsters that “tattoos are forever” — and not to rush into them.

“I thought that, if there was going to be another piece of ink that I’m going to put on my body, something special, then it doesn’t get much more special than Fat Cat and Telethon,” O’Shea added.

Due to the tattoo’s precarious location, of which there was little meat for the ink gun to cling to, the reporter was warned by Ms Nguyen that the experience would be “pretty bad” on the pain scale.

Admitting he was “in shock” for most of the 45-minute experience, O’Shea was surprised how we well he’d taken it in the aftermath.

“She said, ‘Oh, you might have to have some sugar because I’m worried you’re going to faint, because it’s the sort of area of the body where there’s not a lot of fat. It could hurt a bit’,” he recalled.

“I would give it a four out 10. That’s not too bad.”

O’Shea learned that his tattooist had put in an entire shift at The Rechabite inking strangers prior to arriving on stage.

Ultimately proving more than capable, Ms Nguyen’s masterpiece was well-received by all — including the face of Telethon himself.

“It was worth it to get a big hug from Fat Cat at the end, he gave me the two thumbs up. I think he approves,” O’Shea said.