Helen Skelton reveals shock cultural mix-up

The former Blue Peter presenter was in South America in 2011 whilst kayaking the River Amazon for Sport Relief when she lunched with some locals.

Strictly Come Dancing star Helen, 40, told the Spooning with Mark Wogan podcast: “I went to Peru and did some filming with some wonderful charities who were showing us their wonderful work, and they took us out for lunch.

“We were in the middle of nowhere, and there was this big garden with all these hutches showing me their guinea pigs.

“Obviously there’s a language and cultural barrier, but I was enthusiastic because they were proud, and I was being respectful – I thought they were just showing me their guinea pigs.

“I didn’t realise I was picking my lunch, so the one that I said was cute was then spatchcocked and deep-fried.

“They were so proud because it’s a delicacy, and they presented it to me, it still had claws and served with coleslaw.

“The translator was telling me that this was really, really important to them to eat it. I was like, ‘OK, this is just one of those things that I will take with me to my grave’.”