Without question, the most popular of these unlikely search stars is 56-year-old herdsman Bao Xishun, the 7 foot 9 inch giant from China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. We take an affectionate look at the man known as “The Mast” and reveal how he got you searching.

Although Bao was officially named the world’s tallest man by the Guinness Book of Records in 2005, his first brush with global media attention didn’t come until December 2006. He was contacted by struggling veterinarians as a last resort to ease the plight of two dolphins who were suffering from loss of appetite and depression after swallowing shards of plastic. Bao used his 1.06-metre long arm to reach into the dolphins’ stomachs and remove the offending objects manually. The dolphins made a full recovery.

Love was quite literally in the air for Bao as he embarked on a spring search for a bride. He eventually found love close to home and married 5 foot 6 inch saleswoman Xia Shujuan in March. The couple renewed their vows in front of the world’s press in July in a traditional Mongolian ceremony that attracted hundreds of well-wishers. Corporate interest in his Bao's wedding meant that everything from his  unfeasibly large shoes to the traditional lamb, cheese and booze consumed the couple’s guests were sponsored by a range of Chinese companies.

The long and the short of it

Since his ascent to fame, Bao has been asked to use his unlikely celebrity status to boost tourism in China’s Inner Mongolia region. Shortly after his marriage, he made another TV appearance to publicise his homeland. Bao hooked up with fellow countryman He Pingping who, at only 2 foot 4 inches, was aiming for a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s shortest man.

But Bao’s celebrity status was about to take a major dent. On August 7, a Guinness spokeswoman confirmed that he was no longer the world’s tallest living man. His two-year reign was ended by Ukrainian vet Leonid Stadnyk. After years of shunning publicity, Stadnyk, who stands at an epic 8 feet 5.5 inches, finally allowed his height to be verified by an independent adjudicator. He officially replaces Bao in the 2008 edition of the Guinness Book of Records.