devotees have been left in a state of longing during the Droughtlander, with no new episodes of the Starz series in sight. However, many have been revisiting the show, sparking interest in the character of Colum McKenzie (portrayed by Gary Lewis), the uncle of Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan).
Colum made his debut in Outlander’s first season when Claire Fraser (Caitríona Balfe) found herself at Castle Leoch and discovered more about the enigmatic men who had saved her from Captain ‘Black Jack’ Randall (Tobias Menzies). The character was the clan chieftain or Laird of the MacKenzie Clan but heavily depended on his younger brother Dougal MacKenzie (Graham McTavish).
It was revealed that Colum suffered from a painful and degenerative condition known as Toulouse-Lautrec Syndrome or Pycnodysostosis/PKND/PYCD, which hindered his ability to walk. Metabolic Support UK explains that Pycnodysostosis is a condition caused by gene mutations, leading to an enzyme that breaks down substances like bone proteins and types of collagen within the body.
Typically, these substances are reabsorbed back into the body, but those afflicted with this condition will not completely break down these materials. Over time, they accumulate in the body and become toxic, affecting both cells and tissues.
The charity further states that the condition is incredibly rare and varies from patient to patient, reports the .
Colum MacKenzie was the clan chieftain but relied on his sibling (Image: STARZ)
Common symptoms of Pycnodysostosis include a shorter stature, a high forehead, abnormal pelvis bone and an abnormal collarbone, among other things. It’s an inherited condition, but carriers of the gene don’t have it because their other genes are working normally.
Therefore, Colum is likely to have inherited the gene from his parents if they carried the gene, even though they didn’t have the condition. There were initial doubts over whether Colum should lead the clan given his condition, however, he was chosen over Dougal to be the Laird.
This is a storyline likely to unfold in the prequel series Outlander: Blood of My Blood, set to air later this year. Despite the pain in his legs, Colum used wine for relief and even strutted around the castle as a display of power.
In Outlander, Claire euthanised Colum after the pain became unbearable for him before the Battle of Culloden. He had become sick and the pain was too much to bear with Claire assisting him with her medical knowledge.
Colum MacKenzie is played by seasoned star Gary Lewis (Image: STARZ)
Esteemed actor, Lewis, 66, portrayed Colum across seasons one and two of Outlander before his character met his tragic end. Lewis was already well-known before his role in Outlander, perhaps most notably as playing the miner father to Jamie Bell’s titular Billy Elliot.
He also had roles in Gangs of New York and Eragon, and Joyeux Noël. Since leaving Outlander he’s starred in His Dark Materials, The Bay, The Level, One of Us and Frontier.
Most recently, he’s graced the screens in Franklin, Vigil, Granite Harbour and Disney+’s A Thousand Blows, portraying the character Jack Mac. As per IMDb, his upcoming projects include North Pole: 90° North, I Feel Fine and The Undertow.
Outlander season 7 is available to buy now on Digital and is streaming on MGM+ now via Prime Video