Dean Pugh, 56, has eaten more than 4,700 pots of the popular snack during his lifetime and has spent over £4,000 on Pot Noodle memorabilia and he even used the tubs as Christmas decorations
A 56-year-old Pot Noodle addict has taken his love to festive heights. He’s decorated his home for Christmas with more than just tinsel and baubles – it’s adorned with his favourite Pot Noodle memorabilia, having wolfed down over 4,700 pots and collected £4,000 worth of related items.
Dean Pugh, a dad-of-three from Pershore, Worcestershire, has converted his living room into a Pot Noodle paradise, replete with a themed Christmas tree twinkling with special crackers, rare discontinued flavours, and an angel not typically seen on nativity scenes – the 90s mascot Ned The Noodle.
Unlike others who might dine on turkey and trimmings, Dean will be indulging in a ‘Christmas Dinner’ flavour Pot Noodle on the big day and is eagerly awaiting a hamper full of them as a gift. His lounge isn’t just festive; it’s a shrine to the snack complete with vending machines, retro advertising and a Chicken Korma pot signed by Caprice from the 90s.
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Of his unique holiday decor, Dean says, “I just thought it would be a bit of fun although the wife doesn’t quite agree.” He adds, “I’ve spent years building up this collection and have become known across the world as the Pot Noodle King, so I thought I should show it off at Christmas too.”
And to those who default to the same decorations yearly, he suggests, “People always have the same old decorations up each year so I thought I’d do something a bit different. I think it looks fantastic but the wife thinks I’m nuts. She’s just learnt to tolerate it but my daughter loves it.
“The angel on top is a Pot Noodle mascot which you had to send tokens off for years ago. He’s called Ned the Noodle and they fetch about £60 on eBay. I’ll be having Pot Noodle Christmas Dinner flavour on Christmas Day, although it went out of date in 2011 so I hope it doesn’t make me ill.
“The family know to get me a Pot Noodle hamper – what else would the Pot Noodle King have for Christmas? ” “There’s two lads in Worcester collecting Pot Noodles to help feed the homeless this Christmas and I’ll be donating to them so its all about good causes too.”
Plasterer Dean, who lives with wife Louise, 50, first became hooked on the snacks about 30 years ago at work and would have one or two a week. He soon started taking them out on his regular metal detecting tips where his pals started calling him ‘Mr Noodle’ or ‘Noodle King’.
The name has stuck ever since – and he began eating them every day about 11 years ago. Dean says he loves the classic Chicken and Mushroom flavour but his favourite is the Bombay Bad Boy.
He also scours the web for unopened pots of discontinued flavours, like Mac and Cheese, Spicy Curry and Brazilian barbecue Steak and buys them on eBay. Dean also forked out £500 for a vending machine previously from a race course which dispenses his favourite snack and also plays music.
He once consumed a Beef and Tomato pot that was 14 years past its sell-by date to raise funds for charity. He said: “I just like Pot Noodles because they are a quick, easy, tasty snack. But now that’s all I’m known for.”
“I don’t mind though, it’s a fun thing to be known for and cheers people up. People contact me from all over the world saying how brilliant it is. I get sent Pot Noodle memorabilia in the post, I had some Pot Noodle earrings the other day. It started as a habit which grew into a massive hobby and now I’m always on the lookout for new additions to my collection, I look online constantly for items.”
