'Must have had an easy life!' MasterChef hopeful is ridiculed on Twitter for saying a simple mushroom dish was the hardest thing he's ever had to make

For the five remaining hopefuls vying for the crown of MasterChef winner 2016, the competition undoubtedly marks an exciting opportunity and it's no wonder they're beginning to feel the pressure.

But one contestant took things a step further last night when he declared that a dish he prepared for the third week of heats was 'the hardest thing he had done in his life.'

Contestant Andy whipped up a 'medley of mushrooms' in an attempt to prove to judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace that he had what it took to be named MasterChef.

His comments followed a 'sweet and savoury invention test' that challenged contestants to invent a dish using a tray of random ingredients in just an hour on the BBC One programme.

Andy's offering - which he confessed to making up as he went along - consisted of a Portobello mushroom stuffed with coriander and fennel, and topped with Parmesan cheese. He served it with potato and cannellini bean mash and mushroom cream sauce.

But sadly judges and viewers alike were left cold by his dish and he was shown the door.

Greg Wallace said: 'It's not great and I think you can cook alright, but this is what happens when you start to cook without a plan.' 

John Torode conceded that Andy's offering tasted good but both suggested it was ill thought-out.

Andy's fellow contestants Sarah and Gabin, meanwhile, impressed judges with a chocolate-cherry cheesecake and a mushroom tortellini,

Fans couldn't help but express their amusement after Andy said: 'It's the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, and I've done a lot of hard things in my life. But that is the hardest thing I've ever done.'

Contestant Andy whipped up a 'medley of mushrooms' in an attempt to prove to judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace that he had what it took to be named MasterChef, but he was later booted off the BBC One show

Liam Phillips wrote: 'Must have had an easy life if cooking a mushroom is the hardest thing he's ever done.'

Another viewer, known only as Mike, wrote: '"This is the hardest thing I've done in my life and I've done hard things." -not that hard if cooking a mushroom is harder.'

One tweeted: 'A cooking invention test is the hardest thing you’ve ever done in your life? Don’t know whether to be envious or scornfull (sic).'

Another viewer joked: 'Making mushrooms is the hardest thing you’ve ever done? You haven’t lived, mate!” and another urged him to “get a grip.' 

Mrs Trellis remarked: 'You could tell Andy was going home - need to do more than chuck a mushroom under the grill, unfortunately.'

Andy's offering consisted of a Portobello mushroom stuffed with coriander and fennel, and topped with Parmesan cheese. He served it with potato and cannellini bean mash and mushroom cream sauce

Caroline said: 'Andy's mushroom thingy is what I'd rustle up for an impromptu supper for one,' while another wrote: 'Sorry Andy, that looks like a vom-topped crumpet.'

LucyFortune tweeted: 'Mushroom filled mushroom... Nah get out mate.'

Amber said his dish was 'an absolute COPOUT,' while Gary wrote: 'If I saw "medley of mushroom" on a restaurant menu, I'd smash the gaff up.'

Sunny Marr blasted: 'A mushroom stuffed with mushrroms served on a bed of muyshroom. Crikey! WHat hasn't aybody thought of that before?'

'"Mushroom invention test? I'll just serve a plate of mushrrom stuffed mushrooms with some mushroom sauce",' said one viewer named Tanvi.

Ben brennan wrote: 'Mushroom filled mushroom: cooking doesn't get tougher than this.'