Strictly star Susannah Constantine reveals devastating health diagnosis and ‘life-changing’ treatment
STRICTLY Come Dancing star Susannah Constantine has revealed her devastating hearing loss diagnosis.
The What Not to Wear star, 61, said she began to feel “frustrated” and “embarrassed” as she struggled to hear.
This prompted her to get her ears checked and was surprised to discover that she needed hearing aids.
“The penny didn’t really drop until spring,” Susannah told the Mirror.
“I live in the countryside, birdsong is something I’ve always loved and found very comforting.
“I was sitting in a big barrel of water doing my cold water immersion, listening to the birds, thinking, ‘There’s a mistle thrush and there’s a… why aren’t I hearing it?’
“It was a cacophony of noise without the clarity and differentiation. That’s when I realised.
“Well, that coupled with my children calling me deaf and getting really frustrated with me.”
The fashion guru admitted she would be forced to lip read and felt “ashamed” as she battled with her secret condition.
“Ambient noise is awful. I wasn’t able to hear the person sitting next to me,” she continued.
“I’d become an amateur lip reader, but if I couldn’t see someone’s face, I had no idea what they were saying. It was embarrassing.”
“I won’t lie, I did feel ashamed in a way. There are lots of young kids who have hearing disorders, which is obviously completely different.”
However things are now looking brighter for the TV star after getting hearing aids, saying it has “transformed” her life.
“Being unable to hear can leave you feeling very isolated,” Susannah added.
“We know how important it is for mental health to be in nature. I’d lost a key part of that.”