BAFTA Award-winning actor Lenny Rush, who will be starring on Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway tonight (April 6), previously opened up about his painful health condition.
Lenny has spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, a medical condition that affects his growth.
However, he hasn’t allowed his condition to set him back. At the age of 15, he already has starred in many hit shows including Am I Being Unreasonable? and Dodger. Last year, it was announced that Lenny has been cast as Morris in the upcoming series of Doctor Who.
‘Disability is your superpower’
In a 2023 interview with The Guardian, Lenny admitted that he was used to people staring at him growing up.
“Now I tell myself, if someone is staring, it’s all right because they might know me off the telly,” he explained.
It’s a part of me. I’m lucky to have it.
Since becoming a popular TV star, Lenny has received messages from disabled children and parents. “It really makes my day. One lady, her son has dwarfism and he is primary school age, and finding it tricky, realising he is a bit different. She was asking me for advice. I think what I said was: ‘Disability is your superpower.’ I really think it is,” he explained.
‘I’ve got two rods in my back’
When Lenny was born, his mum had to give up her career as a dental nurse so she could care for him.
Growing up, he had to undergo operations on his legs and to close a cleft palate. More recently, he’s had to have surgery on his spine. “So I’ve got two rods in my back. My doctor, he’s amazing – Dr Tucker at Great Ormond Street hospital, he has changed my life,” Lenny said.
He revealed his condition “can affect your sight, walking, stamina, balance and hearing”.
However, Lenny radiates positivity and explained that he doesn’t let his disability get him down “Otherwise you will go through life being miserable and there’s no point. I love being little – it’s a part of me. I’m lucky to have it.”
Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway is on ITV on Saturday April 6 at 7pm.
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