Pete Tong has discussed his permanent hearing loss, admitting he wishes he’d taken better care of his ears. He says becoming partially deaf has significantly altered his perspective on life.
This DJ was a major force in dance music, especially during the height of Ibiza’s club culture in the 1990s.
Now 65, he continues to host on Radio 1, but decades spent in clubs have taken their toll.
He began experiencing hearing loss in his right ear about ten years ago, so he now uses earplugs when he performs.
He also relies on hearing aids to help him follow conversations in meetings and noisy environments.
Pete recently told the Daily Mail that adapting to life as a DJ after experiencing hearing loss was ‘really difficult’.
Pete is working with Boots Hearingcare to encourage people to get their hearing checked, but he’s admitted it’s been a challenge getting used to wearing earplugs.
He said it was really hard to adjust, because you end up somewhat isolating yourself from others.
It takes some getting used to, but finding the right earplugs with the correct filters is key – you want to reduce the noise without feeling completely isolated from your surroundings.
It’s surprising how many even very successful DJs don’t protect their hearing with earplugs. I see it all the time – even people who are working constantly and at a higher level than me aren’t using them.
Pete mentioned that although he doesn’t feel the need to hide his hearing loss, it has shifted his perspective.
He said: ‘It’s not something you can scream from the rooftops, but it’s common.
‘Certainly, in the last few years, it seems that more people wear something in their ears.
I think any embarrassment about wearing a hearing aid has definitely disappeared for me.
Pete has learned to live with his hearing loss, but he wishes he’d protected his ears when he used to go to clubs and concerts.
He said: ‘I guess if I’d been aware in the 90s when I first started, it was never a thing.
‘Everything that was done in the past is purely from ignorance and innocence, you know.
Looking back at how DJing grew in popularity, it wasn’t a topic people really discussed much back in the 1990s.
Pete, a DJ with more than forty years of experience, was asked if he was thinking about retiring anytime soon.
The DJ is set to go on his Ibiza Classics tour in the summer, up until the end of the year.
And with a year packed with performances, it doesn’t look like Pete is slowing down anytime soon.
He wasn’t sure if things were losing momentum. He explained that he doesn’t DJ regularly and is only participating as much as he wants to.
I genuinely still love my work – discovering new music and sharing it with others brings me so much joy. I think it’s just about growing and adapting as time goes on, and doing things in a way that feels right for this stage of my journey.
‘I just definitely don’t do six or seven nights a week like I’ve done in my past.
I’ve learned it’s important to be selective about which challenges I take on, focusing on opportunities that align with my current career goals.
Pete is hoping his work with Boots Hearingcare will motivate people to get their hearing checked and address any issues sooner rather than later.
The DJ believes hearing tests should be as routine as eye tests or dental check-ups.
He pointed out that we easily find opticians and doctors on the high street, but no one ever proactively discusses hearing health with us.
Recent figures from RNID show that about 18 million people in the UK – around one in three adults – have some form of hearing loss, deafness, or ringing in the ears (tinnitus).
Boots Hearingcare now offers a free hearing test with no pressure or obligation.
Pete explained that the sooner someone discovers they have hearing loss, the better. He pointed out that people often don’t realize what they’re missing because hearing loss happens gradually, not suddenly.
It’s hard to fully understand what it’s like, and of course, there are devastating situations where people suddenly lose all their hearing, which is truly awful.
‘But for 99 percent of the people, it’s gradual and progressive.’
Learn more about hearing loss and schedule a complimentary hearing test at: https://www.bootshearingcare.com/hearing-test/
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2026-03-07 14:23