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​UK's Top Female Competitive Eater Reveals Worst Consequences She's Suffered From A Challenge

​UK's Top Female Competitive Eater Reveals Worst Consequences She's Suffered From A Challenge

Leah Shutkever, 31, once took on a product billed as the UK’s hottest pie, which left her hands 'burning' and her stomach 'churning'

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

The UK's top female competitive eater has revealed the challenge that had the worst consequences for her body, saying her arms and hands were left 'burning' after eating a particularly spicy pie.

Leah Shutkever, 31, once took on a product billed as the UK's hottest pie, which is a 1lb pork pie laden with fiery chilli.

Armed only with a bottle of water, she decided to go straight in with her hands - which turned out to be a very, very bad decision.

Speaking to LADbible, Shutkever said she finds spice challenges 'brutal', recalling: "I once ate the UK's hottest pie.

"I got the chilli sauce on my hands - rookie error - and I came out in a rash. My arms and hands were burning.

"From this is learned that capsaicin oil in chilli soaks into your skin and spreads if you wash with warm water/shower - my second error.

"I used cold water with fairy liquid to break down the oil to stop the burning - every day is a school day."

YouTube/Leah Shutkever

In her YouTube video of the challenge, Shutkever explained that the pie - which is from Taylors Butchers in Coventry - is supposed to be split between two people, but as she 'doesn't do things by halves', she felt she had to tackle the whole thing.

She added that she was 'totally unprepared' for the levels of spice - which left her stomach 'churning' - and that she had definitely underestimated the challenge, urging others to 'wear gloves' if they're ever brave enough to take it on themselves.

However, the hardest thing she's ever had to eat wasn't anything involving any heat, but in fact a plate full of Scotch eggs.

Shutkever, who is based in South Birmingham, told us: "In 2015 I was asked to participate in the qualifiers for the World Championship eating competition [TV Tokyo's Battle of the Big Eaters].

"The challenge was on the top deck of a boat, on the Thames, mid-winter, eating cold Scotch eggs.

"We had to eat as many as we could in 30 minutes. The top four would qualify to be Team GB and be flown to New York to compete.

"I ate 15 Scotch eggs in 22 minutes. I noticed I was ahead of everyone else by 5-10 Scotch eggs so I coasted the rest of the way and won.

"But I've never felt so ill in my entire life and I've never looked at one the same again, ever since."

Shutkever explained the short-term effects such challenges have on her body are 'as you would expect', but added that she tries to stay as active as she can afterwards to help.

"I do feel tired and often heavy and bloated, but nothing that some cardio and plenty of water can't alleviate," she said.

Check out Leah Shutkever's YouTube channel here.

Featured Image Credit: YouTube/Leah Shutkever

Topics: Food, News