C5 finds Boy with the World’s Biggest Hands

UK broadcaster Channel 5 has commissioned a one-off documentary about a boy born whose rare medical condition has made his hands grow to huge proportions.

The Boy with the World’s Biggest Hands comes from Barcroft Productions, and will follow eight-year-old Indian child Mohammed Kaleem, who has macrodactyly, or local gigantism. This condition has led to his hands growing to more than five-and-a-half pounds each and 13 inches from wrist to fingertips, and bullying from people in his remote Indian village.

The doc will see a reconstructive surgery doctor perform two operations on Kaleem in a bid to reduce the effects. The show is based on a short film on the Barcroft TV YouTube channel that’s wracked up 2.9 million views. Sam Barcroft and Nina Davies executive produce the C5 doc.

Guy Davies, commissioning editor, factual at C5 said: “This touching story of Kaleem and his medical fight is extraordinary. It’s just the kind of fascinating and inspiring human tale we love to tell.”

C5 has also commissioned Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords, with Argonon Group-backed prodco BriteSpark Films.

The 6x60mins series will look into “the darkside of the housing crisis” in the UK, exploring the battles between Britain’s four million private housing tenants and two million buy-to-let landlords.

Michelle Chappell, Channel 5’s commissioning editor – factual, news and current affairs said: “This is generation rent – for every tenant who won’t pay there’s a landlord making profit out of slum conditions. With 8 million of us renting it’s is a huge issue and this dramatic series exposes some shocking tactics on both sides.”