Strongman icons Eddie Hall and Brian Shaw swapped barbells for baked goods in Malta this week as they went head-to-head in a pastizzi eating challenge alongside social media star Big John Fisher, known to millions for his booming “Bosh!” catchphrase.
The rules were simple: eat as many of Malta’s famous pastries as possible in 15 minutes. Hall and Shaw were neck-and-neck the whole way, eventually finishing tied on 10 pastizzis each. Big John, never short of energy, admitted speed wasn’t his strength. “I struggle to eat fast,” he laughed, “but I can eat all day.”
The light-hearted contest took place as the three men were in the country filming for Battle of the Beasts, a new reality strongman series currently being shot on the island. Hall is front and centre as host, Shaw is co-hosting several strength competitions, and Big John will feature as a celebrity judge for the show’s belly flop contest.
Fans were especially glad to see Shaw looking strong and upbeat. The four-time World’s Strongest Man has been undergoing stem cell treatment after being hospitalised with cellulitis on his wedding anniversary earlier this year, and his appearance in Malta was welcomed as a sign of positive recovery.
The eating challenge also teased the tone of Battle of the Beasts, which is promising a mix of brutal strength contests and outrageous spectacle. Hall will be joined by Leah Shutkever – one of the UK’s top competitive eating superstars and holder of more than 40 Guinness World Records. Between her lightning-fast demolitions and Hall’s history of consuming 15,000 calories a day at his peak, the pair look tailor-made to oversee an eating challenge on a show that blends muscle with madness.
The competition itself will feature some of the biggest names in strength sports, from reigning World’s Strongest Man Rayno Nel and three-time champion Tom Stoltman, to Canadian powerhouse Mitchell Hooper, Welsh giant Gavin Bilton, US stars Evan Singleton and Trey Mitchell, and British legends Terry Hollands and Mark Felix. Rising athletes like Paddy Haynes and Flex Lewis add even more intrigue.
Filmed live with Camelot Films and Visit Malta behind it, Battle of the Beasts has been billed as a global sports-entertainment spectacle — part traditional strongman, part unpredictable chaos.
The pastizzi challenge was just a warm-up, but with Hall, Shaw, Big John, and Shutkever in the mix, it’s already clear this series is going to deliver the kind of madness fans will be talking about long after the plates are cleared.
Featured image credit: YouTube/EddieHallTheBeast/Instagram/@itsbigjohn1
