TLC's Trifecta of 'INK' Series Inspires the Ultimate Showdown, BATTLE OF THE INKS, on Tuesday, December 18th

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 6 -- On Tuesday, December 18, TLC stages a television showdown with back-to-back-to-back episodes of the three global INK franchises. In this first-ever BATTLE OF THE INKS, viewers will be asked to vote on their favorite shop. LONDON INK kicks off the night at 8PM, followed by LA INK at 9PM and MIAMI INK at 10PM. Will viewers choose the original, the rock n roll LA Ink or the hot new import? For one night only, fans can vote for their favorite at http://www.tlc.com. The INK winner will be announced exclusively at the BATTLE OF THE INKS fansite, http://www.tlc.com/battleoftheinks, at 10am the next day.

MIAMI INK and LA INK are two of TLC's highest-rated and most well-traveled series. Now seen in over 90 countries, MIAMI INK is currently enjoying its third season on TLC. This year the series was spun off into the successful LA INK starring Kat Von D and also inspired an international spin-off, LONDON INK, on Discovery Real Time in the UK.

The art of tattooing is as complex as it is beautiful. Filled with hundreds of different techniques and styles from the colorful traditional Americana, Tibetan and Japanese styles to fine line, black & gray, tattooing is practiced by many but mastered by few. In all three of these series the featured tattoo shops are run by some of the most respected artists in the world, who have hired an amazing array of talented and diverse artists to work for them.

LONDON INK first premiered on Discovery Real Time in the UK on September 23rd. The show features shop owner/artist Louis Molloy and his right-hand man Dan Gold -- artists of choice for David Beckham and Kate Moss -- along with fellow artists Nikole Lowe and Phil Kyle. Straight talking main-man Molloy has been a tattoo artist for 24 years. He has strong views, an even stronger will and is not afraid to speak his mind and push his team to the limit. His business partner Gold began painting graffiti in 1985, picking up a tattoo machine a few years later. He's a superstar talent but his penchant for hard partying might push his business relationship with Molloy to the test. A native New Zealander, Lowe has been tattooing professionally for over 16 years. She's an amateur boxer and specializes in Japanese, Indian and Tibetan style tattoos. Kyle grew up in the states but moved to Europe permanently in 2000. He's been tattooing for eighteen years and is known as a big practical joker.

MIAMI INK, which airs at 10:00pm (ET/PT) on Tuesdays, is owned by Ami James and Chris Nunez. The duo has risen to the top of their field, forming the Love/Hate brand and branching out into nightclubs, motorcycle shops, a clothing line and more. Their loyal team of all-star artists includes Darren Brass and Chris Garver, along with Yoji Harada. MIAMI INK now airs in more than 90 countries by 158 million potential subscribers outside of the US.

LA INK is the shop run by Kat Von D. At her hot shop in the heart of Hollywood, CA, Ms. Von D enlisted two of the top female artists and one legendary artist to join her -- Hannah Aitchison, Kim Saigh and Corey Miller. Season two of LA INK premieres on Tuesday, January 8th, 10:00pm (ET/PT). Outside of the US, LA INK has launched throughout Latin America and Asia as well as in the UK, Germany, France and Italy.

MIAMI INK and LA INK are produced by Original Media for TLC. Charlie Corwin is the executive producer for Original Media. LONDON INK is produced by World of Wonder in the UK.

TLC's innovative hit series include Little People Big World, entering its third season this fall; Miami Ink and the new, hit spin-off La Ink; perennial fashion favorite What Not to Wear; and the quintessential gearhead must-see American Chopper. The channel defined home design with Trading Spaces and continues to reinvent the genre with Property Ladder, Flip That House and Moving Up. In January, TLC will debut the Miss America Pageant and reality series. TLC's daytime lineup includes the Emmy Award-winning A Baby Story and Take Home Chef, featuring one of People Magazine's Sexiest Men, Curtis Stone. The channel is available in more than 93 million homes in the US, nearly 8 million homes in Canada and through the website at http://www.tlc.com.

SOURCE TLC
http://www.tlc.com http://www.tlc.com/battleoftheinks