Meet France's tallest man who became a viral sensation on TikTok

A giant on the basketball court, and now a giant on TikTok
A giant on the basketball court, and now a giant on TikTok Copyright Guillaume Souvant/AFP
By Euronews with AFP
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His height is impressive as the number of people who follow him on TikTok. Meet Vincent Pourchot: France's tallest man, professional basketball player and viral internet sensation

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His humorous videos have made him a social media superstar: from the height of 2.22 metres, professional basketball player Vincent Pourchot has used his height to inspire those who suffer from similar physical differences.

Officially the tallest man in France, the player of Tours Métropole Basket (ProB) does not go unnoticed when in public.

"The age when I became aware that I was tall was when I was in primary school, when I was eight years old and I was six feet tall", explains Vincent. He even admits to being taller than most of his teachers.

Vincent has taken full advantage of his abnormal height. Over the seasons, he has become the club's mascot, and much more since he has been posting his videos.

"I took the plunge during isolation. One evening, I filmed myself dancing to demonstrate that it was impossible for me to see myself in full in the mirrors of my apartment," he explains. "The video wasn't great, but I posted it on TikTok anyway. What a surprise when I woke up!"

Over night, he received nearly 200,000 likes on the first video he posted on TikTok. From that day on he decided to embrace his status as a 'giant'.

The strength of difference

AFP
Vincent Pourchot poses for a picture with fans in Tours, FranceAFP

Vincent now boasts 1.6 million subscribers on TikTok. He posts humorous videos exploring his life at 2.22 metres tall. For example, he must lower his head before going through each door, and sit on a chair in order to do the dishes.

The 29 year-old has become an example for anybody who suffers from their physical differences. He hopes to inspire others to see their differences as a superpower.

"I'm comfortable with my large size, I live very well with it," he explains. "Not everyone does. I just got a message from a boy being bullied at school because of his height. He assures me that my videos have given him back his confidence. I feel useful."

He's also been approached by film producers. "I was offered a good role in a feature film, but I had to be free for more than a month. It's incompatible with professional basketball", regrets Vincent Pourchot.

But his popularity continues to feed his projects: he would like to one day become a writer, so he can continue to promote "the strength of difference".

Check out the video above to meet Vincent Pourchot

Video editor • Theo Farrant

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