A Gogglebox star has opened up publicly for the first time about a health condition they “hid” for decades.
Daniel Lustig-Webb, who appeared on the Channel 4 series for five years alongside his now ex-husband Stephen Webb, has revealed he is completely deaf in one ear.
As he marks his 50th birthday, the hairdresser revealed he has been “half deaf” since he was a child.
Gogglebox star Daniel Lustig-Webb on being deaf since he was a child
He told Scene Mag: “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, who left Gogglebox in 2023, added: “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.”
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However, the reality TV favourite has admitted he wants to “stop hiding” and be “proud of who I am", as he shared: “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.”
Daniel continued: “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. I’ve seen how people dismiss deafness because it’s ‘invisible’.
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"But it’s real. It’s part of millions of lives. And it should be talked about openly, without shame.”
The Hove resident says he now wants to “encourage people to learn sign language and be more inclusive”.
He also explained: “There are so many incredible deaf people out there, and I want to stand with them. This is the start of a new chapter, one where I’m thriving and being 100% myself.”
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