Bodyshock - 4oD - Channel 4

The 27 Inch Man

First Broadcast: Mon 11 April 2011 Channel 4

Edward Hernandez is 24 years old and just 27 inches tall. At home in one of the poorest neighbourhoods of Bogota in Colombia, Edward is used to unwanted attention from strangers, but in 2010 his life changed dramatically when he was officially declared the shortest man in the world.

The media frenzy was immediate. How would Edward cope with overnight fame, and, with so many contenders for this iconic record, how long could he keep hold of his title?

When Chinese record holder Ping Ping died in March 2010, Edward's family were one of many around the world who saw an opportunity and sent his details to the offices of Guinness World Records.

Once Edward had been measured by Guinness and his height was authenticated, the announcement was made. Edward Hernandez was the smallest man in the world.

Before his record, Edward scarcely left the house. Now he was invited to the Columbian President's palace and became a hit on the Latin American chat show circuit.

Edward had been plagued with health problems since birth. His newfound celebrity brought free health care and he has an operation to restore his fading eyesight - something his family could never have afforded.

But Edward quickly discovers there's also a downside to fame, particularly when he is guest of honour at Colombia's equivalent of the FA Cup final, and a riot kicks off.

Then, just weeks after winning his title, there is bad news for Edward. In Nepal, the smallest teenager in the world is about to turn 18, and Edward's title - and the fame and fortune it's brought - is under threat.

All Episodes

1. The 27 Inch Man Mon 11 Apr 2011
  
  Edward Hernandez is 24 years old and just 27 inches tall. At home in one of the poorest neighbourhoods of Bogota in…
  - This programme has episodes with subtitles available.
2. Dad's Having a Baby Thu 07 Apr 2011
  
  Logan and Greg could be two kids in any average American family. Except they have two dads and one of them is pregnant…
  - This programme has episodes with subtitles available.
3. I'm Turning into a Giant Tue 01 Jun 2010
  
  Thirty-one-year-old Tanya Angus from Nevada in the USA, who was once a pretty and popular young woman, now stands at…
  - Some scenes of surgery
4. The Twins Who Share a Brain Tue 25 May 2010
  
  Three-year-old twins Krista and Tatiana Hogan are conjoined at the head. It is usual to carry out separation surgery on…
  - This programme has episodes with subtitles available.
5. Age 8 and Wanting a Sex Change Mon 19 Oct 2009
  
  As experts consider a review of UK guidelines for treating transgender children, this film follows a number of children…
  - This programme has episodes with subtitles available.
6. Two Foot Tall Teen Thu 11 Jun 2009
  
  In her home town of Nagpur in India, 16-year-old Jyoti Amge is a normal teenager in many ways: she enjoys going to…
  - This programme has episodes with subtitles available.
7. World's Biggest Boy Wed 26 Nov 2008
  
  At just seven years old Dzhambulat Khatokhov ('Jambik' for short) is four foot three inches tall and weighs 16 stone -…
  - This programme has episodes with subtitles available.
8. Born with Two Heads Mon 20 Feb 2006
  
  Manar Maged was born with two heads. The second has a brain, but no body. Despite this, the second head shows signs of…
  - Includes scenes of a surgical operation
  - This programme has episodes with subtitles available.
9. Half Ton Man Mon 06 Feb 2006
  
  Weighing the same as five baby elephants and a shade less than a Mini Cooper, Patrick Deuel is one of the heaviest men…
  - This programme has episodes with subtitles available.
10. The Man Who Ate His Lover Mon 01 Mar 2004
  
  On 9 March 2001, Armin Meiwes, a computer engineer from the tiny village of Wüstefeld in Germany, cut off the penis of…
  - Contains detailed descriptions of a brutal crime which some viewers may find disturbing
11. Curse of the Mermaid
  
  With her legs fused together like a tail, Milagros Cerron has one of the rarest birth abnormalities in the world:…
  - Scenes of surgery
  - This programme has episodes with subtitles available.
12. Girl with Eight Limbs Grows Up
  
  Bodyshock revisits Lakshmi Tatma, the girl who was born with eight limbs, a year after she underwent a life-saving…
  - This programme has episodes with subtitles available.
13. The Man Who Slept for 19 Years
  
  Twenty years ago Terry Wallis fell into a coma. Doctors said he would never wake up, but his devoted mother Angilee…