Dips in his local ponds cause 'stalactites' in his ears

Harry Enfield is losing his hearing – partly because of his love of cold-water swimming.

The comedian takes regular dips in Highgate Ponds near his north London home – but despite the  supposed health benefits, it's had an adverse effect on his ear.

The 65-year-old was recently diagnosed with exostosis, also known as ‘surfer’s ear’, which is the abnormal growth of bone in the ear canal caused by repeated exposure to cold water and wind and can cause hearing loss.

Enfield learned the news while getting fitted for hearing aids, he told Ed Gamble and James Acaster on their Off Menu podcast.

‘I’m partially deaf and, because I swim in Highgate Ponds, I’ve got stalactites in my ears,’ he said. 

‘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 – stalactites – 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."’

Enfield said that medical had offered to ‘chop of’ the growths, but said he’d prefer hearing loss than the ‘painful’ surgery.

Published: 4 Jun 2026