Genius Game star David Tennant once revealed that he has a rare condition that only affects one in every 1,000.
The legendary Doctor Who star made the shock confession during an interview earlier this year…
Genius Game star David Tennant on his rare condition
For years, there has been speculation online that David, 54, doesn’t have 10 toes, but 11.
Fans of the star noticed that the star seemingly had an extra toe on his right foot. However, the star never confirmed or denied the speculation. Until back in February, that is.
During an interview with Metro, the Good Omens actor was asked whether the rumours were true.
Turns out they are!
When asked if people know he has six toes, he replied: “Well, they do now.
“It’s sort of like a nubbin,” he then added.
Polydactyly explained
David’s condition is called polydactyly, and it’s not as rare as it first seems.
According to the Boston Children’s Hospital, the condition affects one in every 500-1,000 babies. In fact, it’s one of the most common birth defects that affects a baby’s hands or feet.
Of the different types of polydactyly, David’s is the most common. However, there is a rare form of the condition where an extra digit forms in the middle of the hand or foot.
“Polydactyly can either be inherited via the autosomal dominant pathway, which means only one parent needs to pass on the gene for the condition to appear, or can occur due to environmental factors and abnormalities during foetal development,” Miss Jurga Pikturnaite, a consultant specialising in plastic reconstructive, hand and aesthetic surgery told the Independent in February.
“In many cases, polydactyly is not a cause for concern either functionally or physiologically, however, this should only be determined after a newborn has been assessed by a congenital limb differences team,” she then added.
She then revealed that additional digits that are small and non-functional tend not to cause any functional issues. They would only require surgery if desired by the family.
First episode of Genius Game slammed
Meanwhile, in other David-related news, unfortunately for the star, viewers didn’t seem too impressed with the first episode of his new show last night (Wednesday, April 30).
The show is about eleven contestants being pitted against each other as they compete in challenges that test their strategic thinking and social skills to eliminate one another from the competition. The winner goes home with a cash prize and is crowned The Genius
However, viewers were left divided. “The instructions are completely confusing with no recap whatsoever! It’s like a cheap knock off of The Traitors! Another poor programme from ITV!” one viewer fumed.
“I really wanted to like #GeniusGame but it’s confusing for confusing sake! My brain has switched off. Shame, coz I would watch paint dry if David Tennant presented it!” another said.
However, some viewers did enjoy.
“I loved #GeniusGame on ITV, though I understand why many others haven’t, a lot of the show required a lot of explaining and a lot of thought. Definitely not one to just have on in the background. Tennant was a great host,” one fan said.
Genius Game airs tonight (Thursday, May 1) at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
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