Ed Sheeran Either Pulled off an Epic Prank or Trolled the Entire Internet

Is there a lion? Or was he just lying?  Singer Ed Sheeran got QUITE the reaction from fans on social media recently when he unveiled his latest body ink - a work-in-progress of a massive lion across his chest.

Halfway and ouch

A photo posted by @teddysphotos on Aug 11, 2015 at 2:36am PDT

He later took to Twitter to defend his new body art, saying:

All this kerfuffle over a tattoo. If it was black and white saying a clever phrase in a language I can't speak no one would've said anything — Ed Sheeran (@edsheeran) August 12, 2015

It's not the first weird tattoo I've got and it won't be the last, but I like all of them. I'm also eating a bowl of pasta now so byeziez x

— Ed Sheeran (@edsheeran) August 12, 2015

But it looks as though the entire exercise may have been a prank of a rather epic scale. Sheeran, who is set to appear in upcoming episodes of Home and Away, took to Instagram again on Wednesday afternoon, showing off a suspiciously bare chest.  Is it makeup? Did the tattoo never happen? IS IT EVEN ED'S CHEST?  We don't know what he's playing at but we are very confused. 

Was only joking about the lion A photo posted by @teddysphotos on Aug 26, 2015 at 4:31am PDT