Snoop Dogg and Souleye fans of Cwmbran's Mr Giant Veg

Kevin Fortey (left) has held seven Guinness World Records for his giant vegetables

From giving gardening tips to global superstars and royalty to advising on film sets - the life of a giant vegetable grower sounds glitzier than one might expect.

Kevin Fortey, or Mr Giant Veg as he is known to some, has just claimed his seventh Guinness World Record - this time for a potato plant measuring 210cm (6ft 10).

He has some famous fans, with rapper Snoop Dogg, Martha Stewart's gardener Ryan McCallister and Alanis Morrissette's rapper husband Souleye all contacting him for advice on growing supersized vegetables.

Kevin, 44, from Cwmbran, Torfaen, has also shared growing tips with King Charles at Highgrove.

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Kevin Fortey (left) met up with Snoop Dogg (middle) in Cardiff

The meeting with King Charles came about while filming for the BBC's Great British Village Show.

He met Snoop Dogg after he got in touch asking for tips on growing giant fruits and flowers.

"That was a surreal experience really, going to meet Snoop Dogg and his bodyguards who were two ex American footballers and must have been about 7ft tall," said Kevin.

Kevin Fortey has just won his seventh Guinness World Record - this time for a potato plant measuring 210cm (6ft 10)

He is also in touch with the hip hop artist and rapper Souleye, who is married to Alanis Morissette.

Souleye grows giant tomatoes, sunflowers and courgettes in Los Angeles.

"I'm always up for challenging him," said Kevin.

"He sends me over some of the things he's doing with his children, and it's really inspirational."

American businesswoman Martha Stewart's head gardener Ryan McCallister has also been in touch for advice growing giant cabbages.

Kevin and his brother have been gardening since they were tiny

Kevin's giant vegetables have been used as props in films including Pudsey the Dog and Sky crime comedy Agatha Raisin.

He was recently a giant vegetable consultant on Swede Caroline, a British mockumentary set in the world of competitive giant vegetable growing, starring Jo Hartley and Aisling Bea.

Kevin said growing gigantic vegetables was a family tradition and he had many happy memories of being in the garden with his brother and their father.

Kevin's dad Mike (second from right) with his family at a pumpkin championship in the 1980s

"From when I could put my own wellies on my dad took us down to the allotments - he basically encouraged myself and my brother to have a grow, allow us to compete against him and he basically give us the the competitive genes from a very young age," he said.

His father Mike started the UK Giant Vegetable Championships from the Mill Tavern pub in Cwmbran, Torfaen, in the 1980s.

Mike died from a heart attack in 1996 and Kevin believes he would be proud the family tradition has continued, with his son, nieces and nephews getting involved.

"My dad is watching down upon us so probably has a smile on his face," he said.

Kevin Fortey with one of his giant marrows

During the Covid-19 pandemic he tried to encourage local community to grow vegetables in a bid to save money and support their mental health .

A woman got in touch offering him hundreds of packets of seeds so he and neighbours distributed them to people in the area.

"It gave them something to wake up to in the morning, seeing their vegetables grow," he said.

But how do you grow giant vegetables?

"Growing giant veg is pretty much the same as growing ordinary veg," said Kevin.

"It's about having the right seeds, having a bit of luck, the right weather, learning from other people, time, commitment and learning from your mistakes."

Kevin Fortey with his super-sized cabbage

He said he avoids using chemicals and uses horticultural soap to get rid of pests.

He believes growing is for everyone.

"I think everyone should be going some form of vegetable, even if they have a balcony," he said.

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