Harry Enfield reveals partial deafness from cold-water swimming

Harry Enfield has revealed that years of daily cold-water swimming have left him with a serious health condition.

The comedian, best known for his memorable creations such as Kevin the Teenager and Loadsamoney, has been diagnosed with exostosis, better known as 'surfer's ear', from swimming in north London.

Enfield found out about the condition after going to be fitted for hearing aids.

"I'm deaf, partially deaf," he explained to the Off Menu podcast. "And because I swim in Highgate Ponds, I've got stalactites in my ears."

"They've got tiny little hearing aids you can get now and apparently they're very good. They cost a fortune, but they're worth having. So I went to get them fitted.

"They said, 'No, you've got big bones that have grown in your ears. Do you do a lot of fresh water swimming?' I said, 'Well, yeah.' They said, 'Ah, that's what it is.'"

Exostosis occurs when repeated exposure to cold water and wind irritates the ear canal, triggering the body to grow new lumps of bone.

Cold water swimming has become something of a celebrity trend over the past few years. Catherine, Princess of Wales, shared on Mike Tindall's podcast in 2023, "I love swimming, the colder the better. When it's dark and it's raining, I'll go and seek out cold water. I love it."