Dad set to change name to Joe Exotic from Netflix's Tiger King if he raises £1,000 for NHS

One of the strangest ideas has come from Baffins dad Chris Coyne, who will be changing his middle names to Joe Exotic, after the tiger enthusiast who shot to fame in Netflix’s Tiger King documentary, to raise funds for Queen Alexandra Hospital.

Train driver Chris was thinking of a way to raise some funds for the Cosham hospital, especially after his 87-year-old dad received good care there recently, and has been in search of a middle name because his parents didn’t give him one.

The 41-year-old, who used to work with a man whose middle name was Megatron after the Transformers character, said: ‘I was trying to think of something I could do to raise a bit of money.

‘I never had a middle name, but my brother did, so I’ve always been trying to think of one. I thought Exotic would be a cool name.

‘Everyone’s doing marathons and this is something I can do [which is] something a bit different. QA is doing a lot of stuff for coronavirus at the moment so I thought that would be the best place to do it.’

He has already sent off the deed poll forms to become Chris Exotic Coyne, but if his fundraising total reaches £1,000 he will change his middle names to Joe Exotic and grow the former zoo operator’s signature mullet.

Chris, who has already raised £600, said: ‘When I grew up, all the heroes on TV had a mullet - I’m quite looking forward to having one.

‘I’m quite immature - it’ll keep me amused anyway. It’s something to talk about when you’re down the pub.’

Wife Lauren, who is a medical secretary at St Mary’s Hospital, is supportive of Chris’ unconventional fundraising efforts - he is even trying to talk the 40-year-old into changing her middle name to Carole Baskin, after the other Tiger King star.

Daughter Izabella, seven, thinks it’s silly but she ‘doesn’t really mind’, according to Chris.

To donate to Chris Exotic Coyne’s cause, visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/chris-coyne-exotic-middle-name

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