Joey Chestnut strikes deal to return Nathan’s July 4th Hot Dog Eating Contest after being barred

Hold onto your buns, Joey Chestnut is back.

The competitive eating superstar will take part in this year’s Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Competition on Coney Island on July 4th after missing out on the event last year over a dispute related to a sponsorship deal Chestnut had with another hot dog brand.

Major League Eating and Chestnut made the announcement on Monday morning, a little less than a week after The Post confirmed the two sides had been in negotiations to have the biggest name in the sport return to one of its most prestigious events.

“I’m thrilled to be returning to the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. This event means the world to me. It’s a cherished tradition, a celebration of American culture, and a huge part of my life,” Chestnut said in a statement on social media.

It was The Post that broke the news last year that Chestnut had been barred from the competition over a deal he had struck with Impossible Foods, which had, at the time, recently launched a plant-based, meatless hot dog product.

But more recently, the two sides had come together, and both sides appeared eager to get a deal done.

The famed competitive eater seemed happy to put the issue in the past.

“While I have and continue to partner with a variety of companies, including some in the plant-based space, those relationships were never a conflict with my love for hot dogs. To be clear: Nathan’s is the only hot dog company I’ve ever worked with,” Chestnut said in his statement.

“I respect that there were differences in interpretation, but I’m grateful we’ve been able to find common ground. I’m excited to be back on the Coney Island stage, doing what I live to do, and celebrating the Fourth of July with hot dogs in my hands!”

Major League Eating also posted a hype video with the announcement of Chestnut’s return to the annual tradition at Coney Island.

“The Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest stands as an enduring beacon of freedom for our nation and the world,” Major League Eating Chair George Shea said in a statement. “We look forward to watching the greatest eaters as they compete on a celebrated platform for international sports.”

Chestnut will return to the contest in an attempt to dethrone last year’s winner, Patrick Bertoletti, who scarfed down 58 dogs and buns and became the first person since 2015 not named Chestnut to win the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Competition.

Chestnut has won the competition a record 16 times.