Supersize Kids: Britain’s Tallest Teens On ITV
Thursday 12 July 2007 9:00pm – 10:00pm on ITV1.
Paul Sturgess is an incredible 7 foot 7 inches tall and 19 years old. As the tallest teenager in Britain, Paul looks set to become a record breaker and be crowned the world’s tallest man. The title is currently held by Mao Xi Shun who stands just under 7 foot 9 inches tall but Paul is still growing.
In Kent, Tara Savage faces adolescence with trepidation. At 6 foot 1 inches tall already and only aged 12 – she fears as she turns 13 she will never stop growing.
Unemployed 19-year-old Chris Lister dreamt of being a mechanic once he left school. But at 7 foot 3 inches tall his body simply couldn’t cope with the job. After years of surgery throughout his teens he too is still growing.
In a one-off documentary for ITV1, Supersize Kids: Britain’s Tallest Teens follows three tall teenagers and their battle with every day life. From finding a bed long enough to sleep in and clothes to fit, to later on in life cars to fit into and be able to drive, medical issues and of course finding romance.
The programme follows Paul, from Leicestershire, to the USA where he is currently living on a basketball scholarship. In the States his height is revered and looks set to rocket him to stardom. He won his scholarship at Florida Tech University in Orlando where he is expected to sign for the NBA in a deal worth millions of dollars, and if so he is set to become the tallest player in the world famous basketball league.
His coach, Billy Mims, says: “As one of the tallest teens in the world you have to think that his life was planned out a long time ago. I believe Paul was born to be a great basketball player and he feels it in his heart.”
Whilst Paul embraces his extreme height, the future is a more daunting prospect for 12-year-old Tara. The average height for a girl her age is five foot, so she’s already a foot taller than most of her school friends. And with size 11-12 feet the only place she can find shoes to fit her are in specialist shops for transvestites.
Tara’s mum Sue says: “She’s still growing and will be for at least four more years. She is slowing down, the growth rate, but it could potentially be she ends up at 6 foot 6 or 7 foot tall.”
During the programme, Tara goes to see a growth specialist to find out, as she approaches her thirteenth birthday, whether she’s ever going to stop growing.
In Leeds, Chris is in constant pain because of his extreme height. At 7 foot 3 inches tall he suffers from pain, described as bad cramp, and has lost all his confidence. Mum, Anita, is increasingly worried about his future and finds him a makeover mentor in Liverpool to try to help her son.
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[...] every day life. From finding a bed long enough to sleep in and clothes to fit, to later on in life cars to fit into and be able to drive, medical issues and of course finding [...]
i’m 16 years old and i’m 6″11
i have had to have a custom made bed, and my whole bathroom has had to be re built into a whole shower room, just so we could get the height of the shower head.
however, i don’t find it hard at all to get clothes, or shoes that fit, even though my feet are size 17.
My daughter is 12 years old and already 5ft 9 tall. She really related to Tara’s story. thank you for this program.
I would like to thank you for the programme. I grew up in 1970-1980 and experienced much of what the three young people did. What brought it home to me was how inane and insensitive some ‘ordinary’ sized people were. I wish there was more that peolple could know about prejudice about not being ‘normal’. I do think you made a start with this show.
My son is 13 years old and 6ft2 to 6ft 3
We have taken him to the doctors who haven’t done any tests or offered any advice on how tall he will get. I would like help with this and an idea of how tall he will become. Do you have any suggestions
how can i find if my daughter is a tall 4yr old besides the obnious lol
she`s just turned 4 in april and already 4 ft and size 13/1 shoes and clothes is like 7/8 9/10 depending on fit,,,me and her dad are 5.8 5.9,.. but people think she`s retarded as she is still baby 4,,
i have to put a badge on her at times to say I`m only 4 .
i would like to know more about this condition that these kids have my son eery hear has a sudden growth spurt where he seems to do all his growing in one go, he has been being sick a lot lately and i heard it mentioned on the show that one of the boys would come in saying he didnt feel well and if he was being sick his mm would worry about how much he was going to grow-is this linked at all
my son is 13 years old and is between 6 foot 2-3 inches, would it be possibel if you could email me on the above email address with any suggestions or advice on how to access any tests to estabilsh how tall he could possibly get
thank you
my 12 yr old child is 5ft 8-9 and has size 10 feet. where should i get her shoes from?
my daughter is 12 and is 5ft 8-9. she has size 10 feet no shops do that size ….Where is the best shop?
BIG FEET—- Try Brontana,,,,alos when i was 12/13 i was a size 10 and used to have to buy hush puppies shoes ,Brontana also do that size in some styles ..also tall sallys` i duno if they still stock them,
Hi, Exellent programme, i to have a tall teen, my youngest is on his way to 7ft, and has come across some of the problems Chris Lister has encountered. Are you able to update me as to how Chris Lister is doing with his work for the agency?
Regards
Mick Line
There all a bunch of bloody freeks. They look ugly as hell and are too lanky.
Mike miles.\!!!! would you say that if it was one of ur kids!!!!
yea look like freaks too tall and lanky,,, but hey in life no one is perfect,,, look at urself in a mirror and tell me ur 100% perfect ,,no one is ,, everyone has faults, through not their own fault..
what would you do..kill um all off coz they dont fit in with society!!!!
like conjoined twins,
someone born with no legs
someone born blind.
someone who`s got a big nose can be treated, someone with no limbs can be treated
dwarfs can be treated,stretched to make taller,,
tall people you cant shrink um..
ur just another typical ignorant person!!!
I think Mike Miles is compensating for something.
Something SMALL.
i am 7ft tall and i am 9 years old
robbies got size 34 feet an is 11
ur mum
seriously i am 13 years old and pushing 6ft 4
well from me last posting my daughter had a severwater infection, had tests and kidney scan and the foriegh pig has puther down at obese,hold on here,she`s now4.5 4ft2, jumped from a size 1 shoe to now 1.5 since starting school, so thats what 4th sept to 2 wks ago,,
he`s put her down as the height of a 7/8 yr old and weight of an 8 yr old 1 mth , stupid fart!! shes heavy yea no not a fatty just right eight weight and shoe size for someone 3/4 yrs older than her lol..
but still she my baby…
Oh been trying to get a call to proffessor mike presser he the one in programmes who measures them,,, im sure thats what his name was
tenho 11 anos e meço 2,10m peso 130 kg
i love u loads an i am gay
we all fort u was grate and i will come and watch u next time from crl josh and ma m8ts xxxxxxxxxxx
we all love u loads
i am gay and love all the little kids thy can come to my house if ther under 5 years old
I’ve just turned 14 and i’m 6ft 7
im 9 and 76 pound
I really feel for these guys and girl. I was always head and shoulders above everyone else at school and it’s really difficult for teenagers.
Even in my 20’s, and having ended up at 6ft2, there is still a massive lack of information for anyone is not ‘average sized’. I was so frustrated I launched a blog this week that is aimed at women who are taller than average. I’m managed to get some serious fashion journalists (all over 5ft11!) to contribute articles on fashion and trends – what to wear when you’re tall and where to buy it, social aspects of being tall such as dating and general commentary.
I wanted young girls to have somewhere to go where they could learn to be proud of their height and how to make the most of it!
x
http://www.amazonablog.com
I’m 13 and 6′4. I deal with a lot of the same stuff the kids on this show deal with. I used to get teased a lot when i was younger but now i really like being this tall.
hello my son is 6.6′ and 14 years old with size 16 feet can you give sum advice on on how tall he could be
Paul
im rob im 15 and measure at 6 ft 7, its hard for me to fit in to my bed but also in to shoes
Im 12 and 8FT3IN
my sons 8 and 7FT 220 pounds already
I`am 13 and 6`5(196).I`am playing basketball in Serbia in club,wich name FMP Belgrade!My height for eight years is 6`10(208cm).
Wow, I didn’t relaize there were so many huge kids out there. I just figured people were older because of their size. I’m on the flip side of all this. I’m a 26 year old girl and barely 5ft1 and so wish I was taller. Once at the American Little league baseball game when my nephew played, I met a player on an opposing team of my nephew’s and his name was Aaron Durley. I couldn’t believe my eyes. After the game, I saw him standing there, and I had to run up and ask how tall he was. He looked down at me, like I was a little kid, and said “I’m 6ft5 ma’am and then he told me he was 11 years old. I was so astonished. I put my hand up to his, and my hands looked so tiny, and my foot next to his foot were so narrow, and half the size of his, the top of my head was only a few inches above his elbow…….talk about a giant. I asked if he could remember how old he was when he was my size, and he said 5 years old….LOL. No way I could have ever babysat that kid. He is now 7ft at 14.
iam 13 live in the us iam 6′3
and iam a girl
well im 17 , 18 in 3 dayz and im 6ft 11inc tall and never stop growing
Wow, Shania and Nicky, you both are really tall. Do either of you use your height to your advantage, like playing basketball? I played basketball when I was in school, and was pretty good for only being 5ft1 tall. Nicky I hope you stop growing sometime….6′11…wow, that is huge!
i was 6ft5 at 16 im now 19 and 6ft7 its not a problem never think about my height its a blessing
Im 13 years old and 5ft9