As Charlotte Chilton reiterates her claim that Conor Maynard is the father of her child, there is a unique genetic condition that she believes is behind the DNA mystery.
Following two paternity tests which have said Maynard is not the father, the Traitors star has opened up about the ‘research' she has been doing.
This comes after well over a year of speculation and claims about who the biological dad of her daughter Penny is. Chilton gave birth in October last year, having claimed the baby was conceived during a one-night stand with Maynard.
The pair were introduced at the wrap party for the BBC series in early 2024, when she was a contestant alongside Harry Clark – the boyfriend of the singer’s younger sister, Anna.
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In August, a second paternity test found Maynard not to be Penny’s father as he was relieved to ‘draw a line under it’.
What is Charlotte Chilton’s latest claim?
Since the claims began, the 34-year-old has maintained that Maynard must be the father of Penny as she hasn’t slept with anyone else.
“I have researched and researched trying to find the answers because I know for a fact that the only person who can be my daughter’s father is Conor Maynard,” she told The Sun in her latest interview.
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Chilton said after speaking to experts, she has found out that it may have been she was initially carrying twins ‘but lost one very early’ into the pregnancy.
“Then strange genetics come into play which means that twin could have taken certain DNA so her father could never show up on a paternity test. It is something called chimerism,” she continued, adding this ‘made some sense’ because there is a history of twins in her family.
“That’s why I keep thinking, was Penny a twin or something, because twins can make a difference to the paternity result and there are generations and generations of my family with twins,” Chilton said.
While many people doubt her claims, she says she ‘knows the facts’ and is determined to ‘get to the truth’. Speaking to experts to see what can be done to ‘prove’ Maynard is the father, she added: “Penny has a striking resemblance to someone that on paper is not her father. Even the day we slept together is the conception date.”
Chimerism explained
This genetic condition can cause people to have two genomes, or sets of DNA.
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The National Society of Genetic Counsellors explains: “Chimerism occurs when a woman is pregnant with twins and one embryo dies, and the other embryo absorbs the twin’s cells.”
It typically doesn’t carry signs or symptoms with most people having no idea they have a second genome.
“Most often a diagnosis doesn’t occur unless someone fails a paternity or maternity DNA test, and they seek out answers as to why,” it adds.
It’s not quite clear how many people have chimerism but some of those who do have reported a failed parental DNA test for unexplained reasons.
People rarely show visible signs of the condition but some may have two different eye colours or skin tones and patches of different coloured or textured hair.
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What has Maynard said about the claims?
Maynard held back from addressing the speculation until the second paternity test results came through in August.
He issued the following statement on Instagram: “As with the last test, this test has confirmed again that I am not Penelope's father.
“As Charlotte requested, Penelope's, Charlotte's and my DNA were all taken at a Ministry of Justice-accredited DNA testing facility that was selected by Charlotte. The results are therefore conclusive.
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“This has been difficult for me and my family, and I'm so grateful for everyone's support. I'm glad we can now finally draw a line under this. I sincerely hope these results mean we can all find a way to move on with our lives. Conor.”
He also spoke out earlier in the year about being ‘painted as a dead-beat dad’ due to Chilton’s claims and even released a bit of a diss when he teased a new song last month.
Shared on socials, he parodied a host of titans of the British press while being surrounded by a number of microphones labelled 'Not My Sun', 'The Legal Guardian' and 'Traitor Times'. Cold.
One reporter asked Maynard, 'Conor, is it true that you still can't say no to women?', while another shouted out: "Conor, roughly how much did you pay to change your DNA?"
A third piped up asking if he 'can spell paternity'. Some fans dubbed the clip as a ‘cinematic masterpiece’ while others branded it ‘tasteles’.
The lyrics to ‘Cherry on Top’ include: “Ain’t nobody listening cause you talk too much,” “Why can’t you see it’s embarrassing?” and “I think it’s time to let it go.”
LADbible has contacted Maynard for a response to Chilton’s latest claim.
Topics: Celebrity News, The Traitors, Celebrity, Parenting
Jess Battison