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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Joe Golder & Alice Peacock

World's tallest man standing at 8ft 3 in flies into UK to promote Turkish food

The world's tallest man has p[aid a flying visit to the UK with the aim of promoting Turkish food and culture.

Sultan Kosen, 39, arrived in the UK on 12th November for an overnight stop as part of a globe-trotting tour.

Cooking fan Kosen said that he had recently been in Romania where he had participated in a TV chef show.

He has said he is skilled at cooking and wants to promote Turkish cuisine around the globe.

After his stay in London, he was headed for the USA.

"I will first go to London to attend some events and then to the USA for the festival,” he said earlier.

“It is our duty to promote our country and our culture.

Sultan holding a cup of tea in his village in the Derik district of Mardin, in Turkiye (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

"We do this with pleasure. Greetings from all the people of my country."

Sultan measures two metres and 51 centimetres (8 feet and 3 inches).

His enormous hands - 27.5 cm (10.8 in) - landed him a second Guinness world record.

He has held the Guinness record as the world's tallest man for 13 years.

Sultan's size comes from a condition which caused his pituitary gland to produce too much growth hormone.

Guinness World Record holder Sultan Kosen (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Kosen said he eventually got used to being so tall, but he admits it sometimes causes him some difficulties and discomfort.

He married a 175-centimetre- (5'9") tall Syrian woman named Merve Dibo 10 years his junior in 2013.

In an interview, he said his biggest problem with his wife was communication, as he speaks Turkish, whereas his wife only speaks Arabic.

Despite the communication problem, the marriage lasted several years until the couple recently divorced.

His success as an ambassador has also helped him earn money to adapt his house in Dede village of Derik district of Mardin to fit his large size, and he likes to grow flowers in his garden.

He said: "I am proud to be able to take part in activities to support tourism. It's great for me when I see how much I get people's attention. Everybody wants to have their photograph taken with me."

Since taking on the role of a cultural ambassador for Turkey, Kosen has visited 127 of the 195 countries in the world.

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