David McKenna, star of the BBC’s new Lord of the Flies series, has shared how he has kidneys from both of his parents.
12-year-old David plays young ‘Piggy’ in this adaptation of the 1954 David Golding classic about young boys trapped on a remote desert island.
Piggy is perhaps the most memorable of all the boys who appear in the story, due to his larger stature, distinctive spectacles and sense of intelligence compared to the others.
It was a role made famous by young actor Hugh Edwards in the original 1963 version – one he scored by writing a letter to director Peter Brook which read ‘Dear Sir, I am fat and wear spectacles.’
Young David fills those shoes in an all-new adaptation from Adolescence writer and producer Jack Thorne.
The star has already been through much in his young life, including two life-saving transplants which left him with a kidney from each parent.
After being diagnosed with chronic kidney failure at only two weeks old, David received his first transplant at the age of four, from dad Jim.
When that failed, six years later mother Elizabeth stepped in to provide another.
Reflecting on the experience in 2024, David shared a video to Facebook to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Children’s Kidney Fund NI.
‘It has changed my life,’ David said. ‘I’m really proud of myself to think that 18 months ago, I was sat on a dialysis chair.
‘Now I’m winning musical theatre trophies, starring in musicals and I have something very exciting coming my way very soon.’
It is believed that the ‘something very exciting’ he alludes to in his video is his role in Lord of the Flies, which was filmed in the UK and Malaysia in 2025.
As per Daily Mail, mum Elizabeth told the Belfast Telegraph: ‘Myself and Jim were tested and he was a match.’
Following the operation, which took place in 2016, David’s life was transformed ‘overnight’ – leaving his parents ‘exhausted’ by his sudden bust of energy.
‘Before the transplant we did not have that, he did not have any energy, and all of a sudden, almost overnight, he woke up and that was it,’ Elizabeth said.
‘He could not walk unaided before because he didn’t have the balance but now he is off round the park on his own. We couldn’t enjoy that before, it is things like that other people take for granted.’
However, the organ began to fail soon afterwards, and Jim and Elizabeth were told that he would need another.
She donated her own kidney in 2023, when David was ten.
Since then, David went on to continue his training at the Belfast School of Performing Arts, where his various stage roles include productions of The Wiz, Matilda Jr,Legally Blonde Jr and We Will Rock You.
He stars in Lord of the Flies alongside Lox Pratt – HBO’s future Draco Malfoy – as Jack and Winston Sawyers as Ralph.
Among the (limited) adult contingent is Line of Duty star Daniel Mays, who plays a police officer in one episode of the series.
What have viewers said about Lord of the Flies?
With all four episodes already available to stream now on BBC iPlayer, Lord of the Flies has traumatised audiences anew with its fresh take on the tale.
Describing it as ‘very well made,’ Reddit user Cute_Ad_9730 warned that it was a ‘pretty dark’ take on an already grim story.
Noting the ‘dead mutilated bodies’ and ‘brutal killing of animals,’ the same user also described it as ‘morbid,’ and ‘psychologically disturbing and not really aimed at children.’
Meanwhile, the i Paper described it as a ‘scary, psychedelic assault on the senses,’ with The Guardian warning that ‘you will feel sick throughout.’
‘I’m shaking even just reading these comments,’ shuddered TheMilleniumMan, in response.
As reactions continued to roll in, praise was also heaped upon its young cast; including X user Ollijjk2, who shared: ‘the boys that play piggy and Jack are incredible [sic] talented.’
Releasing a statement as news of the new adaptation dropped , series writer Jack Thorne described how the book ‘left a scar on him like no other.
He added: ‘It is a book, I think, full of love as well as cruelty, about how we survive as people and the ways we undo ourselves.
‘It is a TV show we hope families will watch together on the sofa and unpick just as I unpicked the book with my Mum as a kid.’
Lord of the Flies airs at 9pm on BBC One tonight, and is available to watch on BBC iPlayer in full.
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