Unstung hero: steely-mouthed Brit wins the nettle-eating crown two years straight
As well as celebrating prestigious sporting tournaments like the Olympics/Paralympics and the FIFA World Cup, Guinness World Records has always been proud to shine a spotlight on some of the quirkier contests fought annually around the globe.
These vary from hole digging in Japan, to finger-wrestling in Germany and even wife-carrying and sauna-hopping races in Finland and Estonia, respectively. The UK – in particular – punches above its weight when it comes to off-piste competitions. The home nation of GWR boasts everything from bed racing and gravy wrestling through to gurning (pulling ugly faces), worm charming and bog snorkelling.
The revived World Stinging Nettle Eating Championship returned to The Bottle Inn in Marshwood, Dorset, UK, in 2025
Another oddball event that has been hosted proudly in the UK since 1986 is the World Stinging Nettle Eating Championship, which takes place every summer near the town of Bridport in Dorset. The goal? Ultimately to consume the greatest number of raw nettle leaves as you can within an hour.
Suffice it to say, having marked its 30th anniversary in June this year, this is the world’s longest-running stinging nettle-eating competition and it isn’t one for the faint of heart!
The stinging nettles being washed in a bathtub
The nettles – which are cut into 2-ft-long (0.6-m) strips – are picked the day prior to the contest and soaked in a bathtub to remove any bugs and keep them fresh. Competitors must eat all the leaves on each stem, with the bare stems then checked and counted at the end by officials.
Judges check and tally up the stripped nettle stalks at the end of the one-hour contest to find out who has won
It’s permitted to drink water (or other “stronger” beverages) throughout the attempt and the leaves can be rolled, scrunched or dipped into drinks to reduce their potency.
Green-stained tongues and teeth and stung fingers and lips are unavoidable and unfortunately for a few, so is a certain amount of green vomit… which in case you're thinking of entering is grounds for instant disqualification. Nobody ever said that going for records was going to be easy!
While the World Stinging Nettle Eating Championship has always welcomed attendees from across the planet, the winners of the event in 2025 – when members of the GWR book team were in attendance – were two locals: Michael Hobbs and Lucy Dermody. (As it happens, the same pair retained their crowns in June 2026.)
Lucy Dermody methodically working her way through 68 ft of stinging-nettle leaves
In 2025, “Nettle King” Michael powered through 74 ft (22.56 m) of nettles, while “Nettle Queen” Lucy managed a very respectable 68 ft (20.73 m) – in fact, so respectable that it was enough to claim the all-time female record for most stinging nettles eaten in one hour.
Nettle King and Queen (in both 2025 and 2026) Michael Hobbs and Lucy Dermody
The overall male title, meanwhile, is believed to have been set by Philip Thorne (a chef from neighbouring Devon) at the 2018 event, with a total of 104 ft (31.69 m) consumed in the allocated time.
Lucy Dermody proudly shows off her nettle stalks and trophy in 2025
Showing incredible consistency and determination, on Lucy’s return in 2026, she achieved exactly the same number of nettles (68 ft). Hobbs, meanwhile, fell some way short of his previous effort, but still retains the male crown after chomping through an impressive 54 ft (16.46 m) of prickly foliage.
Incredibly, prior to her participation in the 2025 edition of the event, Lucy hadn’t ever eaten a single nettle before!
Not letting that lack of experience hold her back, she told GWR: “I’d heard through friends that the nettle-eating competition was coming up and I thought I’d give it a go!”
She employed the "rolling technique" (i.e., manipulating the leaves into tight scrolls) which made it easier than she expected. Although, after the challenge, she admitted: “By the end my mouth was a bit numb and my hands were tingling!”
It was a bit of a surprise and to be honest my favourite part about winning was telling my family who all found it hilarious – Lucy Dermody on winning at her debut World Stinging Nettle Eating Championship in 2025
As with many of these unusual competitions, the origins of the World Stinging Nettle Eating Championship lay in a dare or challenge being laid down – and often in the setting of a pub!
In the case of this slightly bonkers speedeating showdown, the concept arose when a local farmer – Alex Williams – presented a stinging nettle from his land that was 15 ft 6 in (4.72 m) long and he wagered that if anyone could present a longer example, he would eat it. When a couple from the USA who were holidaying in the area proceeded to produce a 16-ft-long (4.88-m) nettle, Williams stuck to his word.
This would go on to become an annual event that would grow in popularity, welcoming contestants from across the UK, Europe and even from as far afield as Canada and Australia; in 2026, there were contenders from the USA and Vietnam. It’s thought that nettles (Urtica dioica) grow so well particularly in this region owing to the clay-rich soil and ample sunlight during spring/summer.
Indeed, in homage to Alex Williams, another prize that the contest revived in 2025 is for the longest nettle presented. This was also won by the same person in 2025 and 2026: local mental-health worker Jamie Giles. His 2025 entry measured in at a whopping 8 ft 8 in (2.6 m).
In a bid to keep the much-loved local tradition alive, a 30-minute variant was staged at the nearby Dorset Nectar Cider Farm in Waytown between 2022 and 2024. However, with the reopening of The Bottle Inn in 2025 by new landlords (Tessa and Julian Blundy), the event jubilantly returned to its original home where it’s hoped it will stay for many more years to come.
So for anyone fancying their chances at the next nettle-off, note that it’s over 18s only, and perhaps try out a leaf or two at home before diving in to the world championships... Then again, Lucy Dermody has proven that diving in at the deep end can work out pretty well.
Whatever your approach – or if you’re happier sticking to cooked nettle soup or just remaining a spectator – bon appétit!
Interested in reading about more crazy contests from around the world? Check out the upcoming Guinness World Records 2027 edition, which aptly has a green theme, out on 10 September.
For more extraordinary eating records, check out our dedicated Food and Drink news page.