SEBASTIAN SHAKESPEARE: David Beckham’s body art proves tattoo much for the Chinese state as they censor his tattoos on TV

David Beckham likes to think he is a man of the people — and he has the ­tattoos to prove it. However, the Communist state of China takes a rather different view of his body art.

I can reveal that Chinese TV ­censored all of his inkings when it recently screened his BBC TV documentary charting his journey to the Amazon rainforest.

The documentary, called David Beckham Into The Unknown, ­chronicles his epic trip to the jungle travelling by motorbike and boat with best friend Dave Gardner — the partner of actress Liv Tyler.

Given the humidity and high temperatures, he is often scantily clad and wears little more than a T-shirt.

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Chinese TV ­censored all of his inkings when it recently screened his BBC TV documentary charting his journey to the Amazon rainforest

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The documentary, called David Beckham Into The Unknown, ­chronicles his epic trip to the jungle travelling by motorbike and boat with best friend Dave Gardner

However whenever he hoves into view in the Chinese broadcast, parts of his anatomy suddenly go blurry — be it his arms, hands, neck or chest. At one point he goes topless which requires his entire torso to go fuzzy.

Beckham, 45, prides himself on his body art and his arms, torso, back, legs, shoulders and head are covered with more than 50 various designs. His tattoos include his wife Victoria’s name in Sanskrit on his arm and he also has tattoos of the names of his four children, the words ‘Love’ on his left hand and ‘Victoria’ on his right.

The words ‘Dream big, be unrealistic’ adorn his right-hand knuckles.

Beckham has said his tattoos, often honouring his family, are ‘about the people I want with me always’.

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Whenever he hoves into view in the Chinese broadcast, parts of his anatomy suddenly go blurry

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At one point David Beckham goes topless which requires his entire torso to go fuzzy (pictured)

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His body art also quotes famous Chinese philosopher Confucius: ‘Life and death are determined by fate, rank and riches decreed by Heaven’

Becks is particularly fond of ­religious iconography which may not have gone down well.

A portrait of Jesus being lifted from his tomb by cherubs is etched on his left upper chest. There is a winged guardian angel on his back, a winged cross on the back of his neck, an angel on his right arm and a small tattoo of Christ on his side.

His body art also quotes famous Chinese philosopher Confucius: ‘Life and death are determined by fate, rank and riches decreed by Heaven.’

However, strict state censors have banned tattoos from TV screens — along with any other representations of ‘hip-hop culture’ — and so Becks’s pride and joy was airbrushed out of history.