Nepalese hosts longest-ever talk show, sets record

Kathmandu: A Nepalese presenter has set a new world record by hosting a 62 hour television talk show -- the longest-ever, organisers said on Sunday.

Rabi Lamichhane, 36, settled in the United States for the past 10 years, presented the "Lord Buddha Was Born in Nepal" programme, staying on air for 62 hours and 12 minutes. His programme late last night broke the Guinness World Record previously held by two Ukranian presenters Pavlo Kuzheyev and Tetiana Danylenko for a 52-hour 2011 broadcast. One hundred guests, including Maoist chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the Indian ambassador to Nepal Jayant Prasad, television celebrities and common people, joined Lamichhane during the programme. He had arranged the record attempt to help promote Nepal globally, Lamichhane said. According to the Records rules, Lamichhane was allowed five minutes every hour for a break. The show, recorded in the Nepali language with English subtitles from the News24 studio here, was live-streamed on the channel`s website during which Lamichhane interviewed politicians, journalists and celebrities and took phone calls from viewers. Formerly a radio and television journalist in Nepal, Lamichhane is now the manager of a branch of a sandwich shop in Baltimore, US. PTI