Latest news with #deafness
The Sun
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Gogglebox's Daniel Lustig-Webb reveals life changing health diagnosis for the first time
GOGGLEBOX'S Daniel Lustig-Webb has revealed a life changing health diagnosis for the first time. Daniel, 50, known for his five-year run on the Channel 4 show, has told fans that he's been completely deaf in one ear since childhood. 5 The TV personality said his hearing loss is a result of mumps he contracted in his youth, which caused an infection that left him with permanent hearing loss in one ear. He explained that for years he kept it a secret due to insecurity and fear of being seen as 'different' or less capable. Daniel said: 'I've been half deaf since I was a child. I got mumps when I was younger, which caused an infection in my ear, and that left me with complete and permanent hearing loss in one ear. "For years, I hid it. I didn't want people to see me as 'different' or less capable. "At school, it was tough, I was often picked on and teachers told me I was 'thick' because I struggled to concentrate, not realising it was because I couldn't hear properly. "It made me really insecure. I thought I was just failing.' Daniel described the social challenges caused by his deafness, explaining: 'Going out with friends, trying to join in conversations at parties, it's exhausting. "You end up guessing what people say or pretending you hear it all. I'd mimic the conversation, hoping no one noticed. But it takes a toll. I've had to learn to listen differently, and sometimes I just switch off.' Following his 50th birthday, Daniel decided to embrace his diagnosis as part of a new chapter in his life. After leaving Gogglebox in 2023 and going through a divorce with OG star Stephen, he has focused on fitness, wellbeing, and self-acceptance. Gogglebox fans go wild as Stephen Lustig-Webb and his ex Daniel reunite just weeks after their shock split Daniel said: 'I feel ready to be open about it. At 50, I feel like it's finally time to stop hiding and to be proud of who I am. "I'm planning to begin learning sign language because I want to connect with the deaf community and support others who might be struggling like I did. Deafness isn't a weakness, it's part of me.' Hearing loss affects nearly 11 million people in the UK, approximately one in six adults. Daniel hopes his openness will help break down the stigma surrounding deafness. He said: 'I want to help break down the myths around deafness. It's not just about the sounds you can't hear, it's about the isolation, the frustration, the way it shapes your world. 5 5 "I've seen how people dismiss deafness because it's 'invisible'. But it's real. It's part of millions of lives. And it should be talked about openly, without shame.' Back in October, Daniel revealed he was back dating again since his marriage split – but admitted there's one thing a new partner will have to 'tolerate.' Daniel told The Sun: 'I was dating someone - if you can even call it that – we went on four dates in London, and it was really fun. 'But that was literally the first guy I dated since the split, so it was a bit of a learning curve. 'We were very similar in age though, we had a lot in common, it was very nice and we had a lot of fun.' But Daniel confessed things between the two of them 'dried up' romantically. The TV star, who said he'd be more than keen to give Celebs Go Dating a go, said people haven't really clocked on to his Gogglebox fame. Asked if he was worried people would swipe right because they'd seen him on the show, Daniel shared: 'The people I have chatted to or met haven't mentioned it on the first or second date, and if they sort of slip it in, I think 'Oh, that's quite cool.' You know what I mean. I don't want dating to be like an interview.' And the single star said he was trying his hardest not to be picky on his dating quest, sometimes unsuccessfully. Daniel added: 'I've been quite open, actually, because in the past I'd be like 'they must be this age, 'they must look like this. But now my age bracket is more open than it used to be. So that's interesting. 'To be honest, I'm not too picky but then when I meet them I can really be picky. Deafness What is deafness? Deafness is a partial or complete loss of the ability to hear. It can affect one or both ears. Causes: Common causes include aging, exposure to loud noise, infections, genetics, or injury. Types: Conductive: Problem with outer or middle ear. Sensorineural: Damage to inner ear or nerve pathways. Mixed: Combination of both. Signs to watch for: Difficulty following conversations, asking others to repeat, turning up volume loud. Treatment options: Hearing aids, cochlear implants, surgery, or therapy — depending on the cause and severity. Did you know? Over 11 million people in the UK suffer some form of hearing loss. Quick tip: Protect your ears from loud noise — use earplugs at concerts and keep volume low on headphones. 'I also don't like all the texting on the apps, I don't want a pen friend!' And the show favourite shared that anyone he dates will also have to accept that he and ex Stephen are still good friends. Daniel playfully added: 'It's something people will just have to put up with. We're business partners and also dog daddy's as we share a dog together. 'When I met Stephen I was still pals with my ex, and he took that on the chin. 'You don't have to be really good friends with these people but you have to respect it. It's some Louis Vuitton baggage!' Daniel doesn't want to 'live on the apps' when it comes to meeting someone knew, instead saying he prefers a more traditional way of going about things. 'I'd like to meet someone out, strolling along the beach with my dog or in a bar, like how it used to be. 'If a friend set me up on a date I'd have to put the parameters out there, and if they got it wrong I'd probably never speak to my friend again!' Despite Daniel's hunt for romance, the star has been busy juggling owning two hair salon businesses, alongside a life in the spotlight as a TV personality. He's recently appeared on The Weakest Link, and shares his desire to one day take to the Strictly Come Dancing dancefloor, but 'doesn't feel famous at all.' Daniel added: 'If we're not filming anything or doing anything like life is just the same as everyone elses. 'I'm going out on the beach picking up the dog poo in the rain. I've got to run to get in my car quickly to get to work so I'm not late, you know, living the same life as everyone else.' And on a Gogglebox return? Well, Daniel said 'never say never.' 5 5
The Guardian
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The Way We Talk review – sensitive drama explores deafness via three friends' infectious warmth
An incisive film-maker with a keen eye for contemporary youth culture, Hong Kong director Adam Wong has returned with another sensitive ensemble drama. The film follows three twentysomething friends as they navigate various degrees of deafness. Alan, played by first-time deaf actor Marco Ng, is a cochlear implant (CI) user. He is also an ambassador for the surgery, which can help restore sound perception for those with hearing loss. Wolf (Neo Yau), his childhood friend, is a staunch user and supporter of sign language, which at one point was prohibited in local deaf schools; such institutions prioritised speech training, then believed to work better for hearing-impaired students. Sophie (Chung Suet Ying) is at a crossroads: she is a CI user who cannot sign, but yearns to learn. It would, of course, be simplistic to portray these different forms of communication as inherently at odds with one another; instead, Wong's film emphasises that, whether it is CI surgery or sign language, deaf people must be granted the autonomy to make these decisions on their own. Besides posing these thought-provoking questions, Wong also constructs rich inner worlds for these characters, in which deafness is only one thread of a whole tapestry. Wolf's passion for the sea, for instance, is felt in the smallest of details, such as the ocean-themed trinkets that line his study desk. It's the kind of visual attention that renders his dismissal from a diving school due to a lack of sign language interpreters even more heartbreaking. Like many films dealing with social issues, The Way We Talk is not without its moments of didacticism, but the easy chemistry between the three leads lends the film a natural, infectious warmth that engagingly foregrounds its message of community. The Way We Talk is in UK cinemas from 13 June.
BBC News
a day ago
- Health
- BBC News
Call for more basic awareness of deafness after TikToker's death
The mother of TikTok star Imogen Nunn says there needs to be more "basic awareness" of deafness and communicating with those with hearing loss after the death of her Nunn, who was born deaf, died in Brighton on New Year's Day 2023 after taking a poisonous substance she ordered an inquest into the 25-year-old's death, a nurse involved in Ms Nunn's care said there was a "huge shortage" of British Sign Language (BSL) Nunn, known as Immy, raised awareness of hearing and mental health issues on her social media accounts, gaining more than 780,000 followers. Louise Nunn said when she saw her daughter for the last time, she promised she would not stop pursuing what she had wanted to achieve for deaf people."Her biggest thing always was that no-one would ever have to go through what she did," Mrs Nunn said."People are just so ignorant of deafness," she Dimmock, co-CEO of the charity East Sussex Hearing, said: "Imogen's tragic passing highlights how society as a whole fails to take hearing loss seriously. "East Sussex Hearing is challenging public authorities to do better and work with the charity, so that every person is able to receive equitable and full access to the services of Sussex councils, NHS trusts and emergency services."The charity is offering organisations the opportunity to train staff in deaf awareness and BSL. If you've been affected by the issues in this story, help and support is available via the BBC Action Line. Three days before Ms Nunn's death, she received a check-in visit at her home from care professionals after sending a text message saying she had had an increase in suicidal BSL interpreter was taken to the meeting as there was not enough time to arrange one, her inquest coroner Penelope Schofield underlined a backdrop of "systemic challenges" with the number of BSL interpreters across various UK industries and indicated she would be writing to the government about inquest into Ms Nunn's death originally had to be adjourned for two months because there were no BSL interpreters available to translate for two deaf witnesses. 'A living nightmare' Mrs Nunn estimated that about three-quarters of the time there was no interpreter at appointments for her daughter, and said she was often made to choose between going ahead without an interpreter or rebooking and waiting weeks for another appointment."I just don't think anyone realised how important it was," she said life was "like a living nightmare" without her daughter."Life's just not the same," she added. "It's never going to be the same again."She described her daughter as "the most beautiful person ever"."You just couldn't meet someone kinder than her. She just didn't have one bad bone in her body," Mrs Nunn added. NHS Sussex said it welcomed the invitation from East Sussex Hearing and would continue working with its health and care partners to learn and & Hove City Council, East Sussex County Council and West Sussex County Council also said they were committed to making sure their services were fully accessible for people with hearing difficulties. Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne explained that the force used a variety of accessible emergency contact options that allowed for deaf, hard of hearing or speech-impaired people to communicate.A Sussex Police spokesperson added: "We are committed to ensuring our service is accessible for all and that support is in place for anyone who may have additional needs."
BBC News
30-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Deaf criminal jailed for car attack on police officers in Dundee
A profoundly deaf criminal who tried to hit two police officers with his car has been jailed for five Drinnan, 39, was originally charged with attempted murder for the attack in Americanmuir Road, Dundee, in February was reduced to assault to the danger of life at a trial at the High Court in defence lawyer said his deafness would cause him difficulty in jail, however, judge Lady Tait said that prison was the "only appropriate sentence". She said: "The court must seek to deter such offending behaviour." Drinnan was found guilty at the High Court in Stirling earlier this court heard that he was a repeat offender who was driving without insurance and while advocate George Gebbie said Drinnan's profound deafness would affect his ability to communicate with others in Lady Tait told Drinnan - who had the help of a sign language interpreter to follow proceedings - that "the only appropriate sentence is a custodial one".She also banned him from driving for seven involved was Paul Coombs, 53, who admitted driving while disqualified and a dangerous driving offence during the same incident. Lady Tait imprisoned Coombs him for 18 months, and banned him from driving for six years.
