Peter Dowdeswell has broken more than 350 records for speed eating and drinking – but in the end, he was undone by a single beer.
The world-beater has been forced to retire after suffering back and shoulder injuries as he tried to sink a pint while being held upside down.
The 71-year-old, who once downed a pint of champagne in 3 seconds, was dropped twice by two men who were employed to hold his legs during the attempt.
He will go out with a banger on Friday – when his last bid to enter the record books sees him try to eat 12 sausages in ten seconds while lying on a bed of nails balanced on his friend’s head.
Mr Dowdeswell said he was devastated to be calling time on his 40-year career, which has seen him raise around $7 million for disabled children. He added: ‘It hurt me when I first sat down to think about it. For a 71-year-old man to sit down in his chair and cry really hurt me. If I could carry on I would but I just can’t.’
The father of three, from Northampton, England, once ate almost 1kg (2lbs) of haggis in less than a minute, 24 pickled onions in the same time and supped 34 pints of beer in one hour.
He suffered his injuries in July, while filming for the BBC show Epic Win, and has since has filed a compensation claim against the broadcaster.
He said: ‘Since I had the accident, I’ve been getting worse, especially my back and my shoulder. ‘I just sit at home hardly doing anything at the moment.’
