Wigan pie-eating champion polishes off pie in 64 seconds

A man has been crowned this year’s World Pie-Eating Champion after polishing off a meat pie in one minute and two seconds.

Tom O’Neil, 24, lives in Blackpool but was born in Wigan, Greater Manchester, where the annual contest has been held since 1992.

He was one of 19 competitors who lined up at Harry’s Bar in front of their regulation size pies, which measure 12cm (4.7in) in diameter with a depth of 3.5cm (1.3in).

Mr O’Neil said this was a “proud day” and has already vowed to return next year to defend his title.

He told BBC Radio Manchester: “I won a local contest about two years ago and then I saw this pop up online, so I thought I’m gonna go for it and then now I’m here.”

Mr O’Neil said his talent was more of a natural ability than a learnt skill.

“Just eat and then swallow, that’s it really,” he said.

“There’s no magic to it, you’ve either got it or you’ve not I suppose.”

Venue owneer and self-styled “piemaster”, Tony Callaghan, has been running the contest for more than 30 years.

He said the 2025 competition “wasn’t as good as previous years”.

“A minute and two seconds was ridiculous,” he said.

“We’ve had 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 20 seconds in previous years so I don’t know what’s going on today.”

Despite the slower than expected results, Mr Callaghan refuses to bend the rules of his strict “no lubricants” policy.

He said: “I will not allow gravy and I won’t allow any lubricants, don’t come to the competition if that’s what you want.

“I think it’s wrong – you eat a pie as it is, you don’t stick in a bowl of gravy, that’s for Southerners.”