Magician David Blaine set a world record for holding his breath - underwater - when spent more than 17 minutes suspended in a water-filled sphere on Oprah Winfrey's talk show.

He held his breath for precisely 17 minutes and 4 seconds, smashing the previous record of 16 minutes and 32 seconds.

The 35-year-old's first words when he was pulled to the surface after his record-breaking bid were: "I feel great."

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Recordbreaker: David Blaine has smashed the world record for holding breath underwater, live on Oprah Winfrey's chat show yesterday

"I actually started to doubt I was going to make it because I'd never done it with such a high heart rate," he added.

Brooklyn-born Blaine's team said during the event that his heart rate should have dropped far lower than it did. And Blaine also said he was aware that his heart was beating irregularly toward the end of the stunt.

He told the chat show host: "I feel happy...a life-long dream." And when Oprah asked him what he was thinking about during the stunt, the cheeky magician answered, "You".

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Gasp: Blaine takes a much needed gasp of air after his amazing feat of staying underwater for 17 minutes and 4 seconds

David Blaine, looks relaxed after his record-breaking effort - he beat previous holder Peter Colat's record of 16 mins and 32 seconds

Dressed in a silver wet suit, Blaine was lowered into an acrylic sphere filled with 1,800 gallons (8,183 litres) of water.

Before he entered the sphere, he inhaled pure oxygen through a mask to saturate his blood with oxygen and flush out carbon dioxide.

Guinness says up to 30 minutes of so-called "oxygen hyperventilation" is allowed under its guidelines.

"There's no enhancement, no cheating," he told Oprah. Blaine added that while he makes his living as a magician, the stunts he does are not about magic but about pushing the limits of the human body.

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Cheeky: The magician chatted to chat show host Oprah Winfrey, and when she asked him what he was thinking about, he answered, 'You'

Blaine said he reached a meditative state while submerged, with help from the stage lights reflecting off the sphere.

But hearing his heartbeat left him more conscious, he said. "I was pretty much here the whole time."

During the post-stunt interview he revealed he was hoping to make it for 23 minutes on his next attempt.

The previous record of 16 minutes 32 seconds was set earlier this year in Switzerland by Peter Colat.

Blaine's previous stunts included 44 days in a glass box hung near the River Thames and enclosure in a block of ice in Times Square for 63 hours.

Speaking before he submerged himself Blaine said he was more excited than nervous and laughed off a question from the talk show host on whether he had a "death wish."

Relief: David gives the audience the 'OK' sign as she takes a breather - literally - after being pulled from the water-filled sphere