David Tennant announces that he was born with a rare condition
David Tennant has confirmed that he was born with a rare condition, after internet sleuths noticed his extra appendage.
The 53-year-old is set to host the Bafta Awards for the second year in a row, and was recently confirmed as the lead in ITV’s forthcoming phone-hacking dramaThe Hack.
It was fans on Reddit who first noticed that the Doctor Who star has six toes on his right foot.
“Do people know that?” he was asked, to which the actor replied: “Well, they do now.”
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Describing the nature of his extra appendage, Tennant explained: “It’s sort of like a nubbin.” The extra toe is on the right side of his foot.
According to John Hopkins Medicine, the condition is called Polydactyly and translates to “extra digits”. It is a congenital condition, which means that children are born with it.
What is polydactyly?
Actor David Tennant confirmed he has polydactyly, a condition resulting in extra digits on the hands or feet. Tennant has six toes on one foot.
Polydactyly is a common congenital limb difference, occurring in about 1 in 500-1,000 live births.
There are three types: pre-axial (extra digit near the thumb/big toe), post-axial (extra digit near the little finger/toe), and central (extra digit in the middle of the hand/foot).
The extra digits can range from small, non-functional nubbins to fully developed digits. While often harmless, they can sometimes interfere with limb function.
Treatment, often surgical removal, is typically decided by the family, especially in simple cases. More complex cases may require ongoing surgical intervention and follow-up.
Read more about polydactyly.
Speaking about his second stint hosting the Baftas, Tennant said: “It’s a lovely thing to be asked to do and it’s a huge privilege, and it’s very giddy-making.
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“But I’ve sort of got a bit of a free pass, because nobody expects me to be any good at it.”
The actor’s last hosting gig in 2024 was a success, although he said he was surprised to be asked to do it once, never mind twice.
“It was a slightly mad thing to be asked to do, not something I ever aspired to or imagined would come my way,” he said.
“When you’re standing on that stage looking out at all the most famous people in the world, you just think: How did I end up doing this? I think I just want to not break it again, really.”
Beyond acting, the star has a long history of support for LGBT+ rights, and told Tory leader Kemi Badenoch to “shut up” after she voiced her plans to make biological sex a protected characteristic.
Labour MP Dawn Butler and former SNP politician Mhairi Black supported Tennant’s stance. He doubled down on his position by wearing a pin in support of trans rights to the Mean Girls Musical premiere in London in June.
