Singer Rick Astley has revealed he has been fitted with his first hearing aids as he backs a campaign to raise awareness about hearing loss.
The 57-year-old Together Forever singer has re-recorded his hit Never Gonna Give You Up using lyrics people have misheard for years to highlight how these changes can affect daily life and encourage others to get checked.
The new version of his 1987 chart-topping debut single, released features lyrics including "You wouldn't catch nits from any other guy" and "Your aunt’s been naked".
Astley, who has sold more than 40 million records during his long-spanning career said: "It felt weird singing different lyrics but I’m pleased to be raising awareness of hearing loss, as there is still a stigma around this."
He said he has been noticing changes to his hearing over time so recently got tested.
"It showed I have some hearing loss, which I was not fully aware of," he admitted.
"It’s probably a result of playing the drums as a kid and working in the music industry, so they’ve [Specsavers] given me my first hearing aids.
"It’s important to remember that everyone’s hearing is different. Some people lose high notes, others lose low-frequency sounds.
"I’d encourage anyone to get their hearing tested if they notice any changes, so they don’t lose the sounds or music they love."
The singer has been fitted for two hearing aids, one being a receiver-in-canal (RIC) and another an invisible-in-canal (IIC).
Source: Press Association
