A CHAMPION competitive eater met his match when he took on a panto villain and dame in a belly-busting challenge.

Adam Moran, the UK’s number one competitive eater, gamely took on a trio of Aladdin panto stars in a Thanksgiving Challenge eating contest at Huckleberry’s restaurant in Darlington.

Mr Moran, better known as his Beard-Meats-Food persona, fought a valiant battle as he attempted to out-eat Widow Twankey, Wishy Washy and Abanazer, played by actors Gary David, Hayley Thompson and Mike Tyson respectively.

The panto stars had a distinct advantage as they were able to ‘tag-team’ their way through the challenge, with each actor being given 20-minutes to devour as much as they could and clear the whole plate within an hour.

Mr Moran, meanwhile, ploughed his way solo through a huge plate heaped with festive fare including sprouts, a ginormous pig in blanket and a large serving of roast potatoes.

Despite Mr Moran’s valiant effort, the three panto stars finished with ten-minutes to spare and were crowned Thanksgiving Challenge champions.

Mr Tyson was the final actor to face off with Mr Moran and bring the team to victory.

He said: “I owe part of the victory to Adam, I’ve been watching his videos for tips, and it was great to see him in action.” A gracious Mr Moran described the actors’ performance as “great”, adding: “It’s been an amazing experience.”

The panto stars can now let their stomachs settle before performing at The Majestic from December 9.