Sultan Kosen world's tallest man at 8ft 1in
At 8ft 1in tall, he stands head and shoulders above the competition.
But finding love is still proving a tall order for Sultan Kosen.
Yesterday, as the 27-year-old Turk officially claimed the record of the world's tallest man, he said he hoped his new-found fame would help him find a wife.
'The first thing I want to do is have a car that I can fit in, but more than that I want to get married,' he said.
'Up until now it's been really difficult to find a girlfriend.
'I've never had one, they were usually scared of me.
‘Hopefully now I'm famous I'll be able to meet lots of girls.'
Mr Kosen's hands measure 10.8in across and his feet are 13.7in long - which are also world records.
The farmer, whose height is due to a condition called pituitary gigantism, is one of only ten people ever to top 8ft and the first in a decade.
The gentle giant grew normally until he was ten but a tumour then caused him to develop the medical condition.
When other children were little more than 4ft, he was already well over 6ft.
'The kids used to tease me and I found that very difficult,' he said.
'But now I am really proud of being tall.'
The tumour was removed last year and his growth stopped.
His visit to the UK is the first time he has travelled outside Turkey, and he will go on to visit the US and Germany.
Guinness World Records editor-in-chief Craig Glenday said: ‘We only know of ten confirmed or reliable cases in history of humans reaching 8ft or more.
‘Sultan's an imposing figure, but a gentle, quiet man who's totally relaxed and unfazed about his unique standing in the world.
‘It's a pleasure to welcome him into the Guinness World Records family and celebrate his mark as one of the most important record holders of this decade.
Sultan relaxes during an appearance at Tower Bridge in London to promote the 2010 edition of The Guinness Book of Records
