Network Ten defend Keira's chilli challenge on I'm a Celeb
Network Ten's head of entertainment Stephen Tate has dismissed Keira Maguire's reaction to being exposed to hot chilli sauce during an I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! Tucker Trial.
The TV executive confirmed the sauce she consumed on Wednesday's episode is actually sold in local supermarkets and the challenge was tested and trialed for safety before broadcast.
'Whilst it was very unpleasant it was also totally harmless to Keira's health,' Stephen told The Daily Telegraph on Thursday.
'It was totally harmless to Keira's health': Network Ten's head of entertainment Stephen Tate has dismissed Keira Maguire's reaction to being exposed to hot chilli sauce during an I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! Tucker Trial
He added: 'We had already tested this trial several times. The chilli sauce is commercially available here in South Africa in the supermarket'.
The challenge involved Keira removing a star from a tank full of chilli. The star itself, which she had to pick up with her mouth, was covered in hot sauce.
The brand used was 357 Mad Dog Hot Sauce, which is described as 'one of the most powerful sauces in the world, and it will take your breath away.'
But, of course, it is not dangerous.
'We had already tested this trial several times. The chilli sauce is commercially available': While the Mad Dog 357 Hot Sauce used in the trial is very spicy, it is certainly not dangerous
No risk! The challenge involved Keira removing a star from a tank full of chilli. The star itself, which she had to pick up with her mouth, was covered in hot sauce
Suck it up: The 357 sauce is described as 'one of the most powerful sauces in the world'
It is referred to as a 'killer sauce' and has an extremely high Scoville Heat Unit score of 357,000 points.
The Scoville Heat Unit measures the 'heat factor' of a food, with a jalapeno clocking in at 1,000 Scoville Heat Units and up, while a regular red chili can have as little as 500.
After consuming the sauce Keira wept: 'That was so bad. Like worse than any treatment I've had on my face and that's painful.
'That was so bad. Like worse than any treatment I've had on my face': Keira compared the pain of eating the chilli sauce to her recent cosmetic surgery procedures
'(It's) burning my face so bad and no-one even cared. No-one even cared.'
'This is not okay! This is not okay!' she screamed. 'Is this really what it's going to be like the whole like? Just like, "Let's let her f***ing die!"'
A medic attended to Keira on the scene before the reality TV star was seen chugging milk and water to soothe her burning mouth.