'My body just shut down': Gordon Ramsay is forced to withdraw from gruelling Ironman triathlon in Hawaii after vomiting due to extreme dehydration

Published: 15:16 EST, 12 October 2015 | Updated: 18:17 EST, 12 October 2015

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He is well known for his love of extreme fitness.

Yet Gordon Ramsay was pushed to his limit when he was forced to withdraw from the Ironman World Championships triathlon in Hawaii, which included a 2.4-mile ocean swim, 112-mile bike leg and marathon run, after suffering severe dehydration on Saturday.

The 48-year-old TV chef was physically sick during the bike ride section of the gruelling race and revealed he could not go any further in the challenge when he was forced to seek medical attention.

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Challenging: Gordon Ramsay was pushed to his limit when he was forced to withdraw from the Ironman World Championships triathlon in Hawaii over the weekend after suffering severe dehydration

Gordon completed the race, which is deemed 'the world's toughest' of its kind, in 2013 in an incredible time of 14 hours.

He has undertaken many similar challenges including the a half-Ironman in Staffordshire, England with his wife Tana in June.

Despite being in tip-top shape, the top chef could not manage this particular branch of the famous race, where he was raising money for Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, as dehydration caused his body to 'shut down'.

The ailing competitor, who was a footballer before his food career, was seen throwing up and later took to his Facebook page to explain to his 4.6 million followers what had happened to make him withdraw.

'Didn't happen this year': He announced on Facebook that he had had to pull out due to illness

He wrote: 'Hi guys, didn't happen this year. During my bike ride I threw up several times and wasn't able to keep anything down, making me dehydrated.

I thought I'd be able to push through the marathon, but my body just shut down. Thank you to the IRONMAN medical staff who assisted me as well as to the Hawai'i Police Department.

'Thanks again for all your support and a big congratulations to the all of this year's participants. I will be BACK !!!! Gx'

Thanks again! The TV chef was sad to have not been able to complete the race, but wrote a shout-out to the Hawaii police dept. and the medical staff who assisted him

Keeping fit: The 48-year-old TV chef was pictured throwing up during the bike ride section of the gruelling race and revealed he could not go any further in the challenge

During Saturday's triathlon Gordon kept his fans posted via his Facebook page as he filmed videos at various intervals - to much encouragement from his fans.

In one video he says: 'Right good morning, it's 6.20am here in Kona. The pros are just about to start seconds from now. Temperatures gone up [by] 88 degrees, very humid.

'We're about to attack the 3.8k swim. Thanks so much for the support. Great Ormond Street, we love you. See you throughout the day. It's gonna be a long one. We love you, bye.'

Gordon has previously raced in 15 marathons, three ultra-marathons, three half-Ironmans (a triathlon ending in a half-marathon) and his previous Hawaiian triathlon.