Invercargill's mayor sets world record

The mayor of Invercargill has just set a new record for being on television over the longest period of time.

Tim Shadbolt, along with CUE TV station owner Tom Conroy, has cracked three major records this weekend with a 26-hour "interviewathon" which finished this afternoon.

The mayor talked about all sorts of matters, including his many, varied, and colourful past lives.

He and interviewer Tom Conroy were presented with a certificate by a representative from the Guinness Book of Records to acknowledge the feat .

Mr Shadbolt is back on the beat tomorrow morning doing some promotional stuff for the New Zealand's Got Talent TV show.

The two men have sent the world record for the longest TV interview into oblivion as well as setting a new mark for the longest one-on-one interview on any media.

That record stood at 24 hours.

Tom Conroy says they have also set a new record for the longest single event in New Zealand TV history, going well past the telethons in the 70s and 80s.

The event, which went to air live, was a fundraiser for St John Ambulance.

Photo: Tim Shadbolt in 2010 (Getty Images)