Background Binge eating is often co-morbid with obesity. There is no widely accepted theoretical model for binge eating, this has treatment implications. Research has highlighted the role of metacognitions in psychopathology, including eating disorders. However, metacognitions in obesity and binge eating have not yet been researched. The self-regulatory executive functioning model (S-REF; Wells & Matthews, 1994, 1996) conceptualises the role of metacognition in the aetiology and maintenance of psychological disturbance. This exploratory study aimed to explore metacognition in people with obesity and binge eating, and people with obesity without binge eating. Design A clinical sample of ten participants, five with obesity and binge eating, and five with obesity without binge eating were recruited. A mixed-method design was utilised, with a dominant qualitative component. Participants were interviewed using the Metacognitive Profiling Interview and completed self-report measures to contextualise the results. Using template analysis the two groups were first analysed separately, and then compared to each other. Results Three main themes were identified; metacognitive judgements, metacognitive processes and thought control strategies. The binge-eating group reported experiencing greater and more problematic metacognitions, metacognitive processes and thought control strategies than the non binge-eating group. Conclusions The results build upon existing metacognitive research, indicating that metacognitions involved in the development and maintenance of binge eating in obesity are often very different from those involved in obesity without binge eating. This suggests the S-REF iii model may have relevance for binge eating in obesity. The study supports the idea that individuals with binge eating should be offered specialised treatment that is distinct from the treatment for obese non-binge eaters. Further research is needed to develop an empirically-tested disorder-specific model of binge eating.