Torchwood star John Barrowman says being deaf made him feel 'invisible'

TV star John Barrowman, best known for his role as Captain Jack Harkness in Torchwood, agreed to go ‘deaf’ for the day as part of a filmed experiment so he could understand more the difficulties that deaf people face.

Gel moulds were inserted into his ears leaving him with a dramatic 60 per cent hearing loss. He then attempted to go about his daily routine, but found the experience significantly tougher than expected.

“I didn’t realise how challenging deafness would be. I was extremely anxious when walking down the street and crossing the road, as I couldn’t hear busy traffic or the sounds of footsteps walking behind me,” he said.

“It was so tiring trying to concentrate on what people were saying. I became increasingly withdrawn and frustrated, and I was isolated from conversations around me. I felt invisible.”

Mr Barrowman was then given a hearing dog called Robyn for the afternoon, who helped him out by alerting him to the sounds and danger signals that he could no longer hear such as the fire alarm, telephone and doorbell.

This made a huge difference as “with Robyn by my side, I didn’t feel invisible anymore as people were able to see from her jacket that I was deaf. I was also less reliant on others to do things for me. Having a hearing dog gave me back my independence, made me feel safe when out in public, and best of all, this clever dog provided me with wonderful companionship to alleviate the loneliness I had felt.”

Every day in the UK, over 10 million people with hearing loss are faced with communication barriers and isolation.

To watch John Barrowman’s video, please visit www.hearingdogs.org.uk/jb

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is a registered charity that trains dogs to alert deaf people to important sounds and danger signals such as the doorbell, telephone and smoke alarm. No charge is made to people who are given hearing dogs. Since its inception in 1982, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People have partnered nearly 2,000 hearing dogs with people with hearing loss.