Viral Kiwi man's giant potato turns out to not be a potato after all

Earlier this year, a Kiwi man went viral around the world with his hilarious interview about a giant potato grown in his garden - which at the time was thought to be the biggest in the world.

Colin Craig-Brown was tending to his vegetable garden on his farm near Hamilton when he discovered the mammoth, misshapen "spud" - who he has named Doug - weighing in at a remarkable 7.9kg.

However, DNA testing has since proven otherwise.

The Waikato local - who had viewers in hysterics as he detailed the trials and tribulations of securing a Guinness World Record for his giant potato - has now been informed his root vegetable isn't a potato, after all.

Tests have determined that Doug is actually a gourd.

The Guinness World Records current entry for the heaviest potato is a 2011 monster from Britain that weighed in at just under 5kg.

Despite the disappointing news, Craig-Brown still keeps Doug in his freezer.

He said: "I say 'gidday' to him every time I pull out some sausages. He's a cool character."