Greg James has admitted he wants a Long Boi tattoo, and if you’ve followed his long-standing obsession with York’s most iconic bird, this really shouldn’t come as a surprise.
During a TikTok Live today, the BBC Radio 1 presenter casually revealed that he’s considering getting a Long Boi tattoo, sending listeners (and students) into a spiral. Because if anyone was going to permanently ink a strangely proportioned campus icon onto their body, it was always going to be Greg.
“I do want a Long Boi tattoo,” Greg admitted on the live, immediately opening the floor to suggestions. “We can ask the listeners where. Maybe on my neck?” Unsurprisingly, that suggestion was met with concern.
“Where’s good, where does it go?” Greg continued. “It’s leg, it’s leg isn’t it?”
Someone else suggested a bicep, pointing out that “the neck stretches when you stretch your arm”, which might be the most scientifically sound argument ever made for a duck tattoo.
Despite the enthusiasm, Greg made it clear this isn’t happening just yet. “When it happens it will be perfect,” he said. “I’m not quite ready yet.”
Greg and Long Boi go way back
Greg’s love for Long Boi has been going strong for years. He first started featuring the duck on his Radio 1 Breakfast Show back in 2022, taking Long Boi’s outrageous height and turning it into national (and eventually international) news.
Long Boi, an Indian Runner and Mallard cross, stood at an impressive 71cm tall and was the only duck of his kind on campus. First spotted near Derwent in 2018, he quickly became recognisable for his towering frame, confident waddle, and undeniable main character energy.
Often found strutting around Derwent College and Heslington Hall, Long Boi became a familiar and much loved presence for students and staff, many of whom would stop to feed him and his duck friends. His fame properly took off in 2021, when he was featured on The Late Late Show with James Cordon, introducing American audiences to York’s tallest duck.
Back in the UK, Greg James was one of Long Boi’s biggest champions. He regularly featured him on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show, even managing to have Long Boi quack live on air to listeners across the country.
From campus duck to proper York lore
via YouTube
By 2024, Greg bringing his show to campus and hosting Long Boi’s memorial felt like the natural progression of a very unserious but deeply committed relationship. The statue unveiling pulled in huge crowds, caused absolute live-radio chaos, and officially confirmed that Long Boi wasn’t just a duck anymore, he was proper York lore.
Greg fully committed, joking with students on air, encouraging skipping lectures, and proving once again that he’ll always choose the silly option if it makes life more fun. It’s very on brand for someone who’s built a career on refusing to let life get dull or overly serious just because you’re getting older.
Greg’s connection to the university didn’t stop in 2024 either. In 2025, he returned to campus to receive an honorary degree from the University of York, fully cementing his place in York history. He even helped design a range of Long Boi merch.
And because this is Greg James, he didn’t stand on stage alone.
via YouTube
Greg brought a mini Long Boi statue up with him during the ceremony, proving once again that even an academic honour wasn’t going to stop him committing to the relationship. While most people would settle for a suit and a speech, Greg chose to share the moment with York’s tallest duck instead.
Since then, Long Boi has never really left Greg’s life. He keeps coming up in jokes and references, and even had a chapter dedicated to him in Greg’s book released last year. At this point, the idea of Greg not having a Long Boi tattoo almost feels wrong.
So this doesn’t feel like a spontaneous tattoo idea, it feels like the inevitable next chapter in a long running connection between a radio presenter and a very tall duck.
Whether it ends up on his leg, bicep, or somewhere deeply regrettable, one thing’s certain – it will be iconic.
Featured image via YouTube
