A Love Island star has spoken out on the hidden struggle that meant he missed key moments during his time in the villa.
Sam Workman made headlines appearing on the hit ITV dating show, proudly wearing his hearing aids.
The 25-year-old has worn them since the age of four, and was the second-ever deaf contestant on the show, following season eight’s Tasha Ghouri.
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But while the aids have proven life-changing for his day to day life, there were challenges that viewers didn’t see on camera.
“Every night I’d take my hearing aids out before going to sleep and – sometimes just five minutes later – everyone would start chatting in bed,” Sam, an electrician from Dudley, told What’s The Jam.
“I’d be lying there listening to silence while everyone else was laughing and talking, simply because I couldn’t hear them.
“Then the next day the boys would be talking about what had been said the night before, and I’d have absolutely no idea what they were talking about.
“Those were probably the moments where I felt my hearing loss the most because it was so easy to feel left out without anyone even realising.
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“It was quite isolating and made me realise how easily people with hearing loss can feel left out without anyone even noticing.”
During the day, hearing loss still had an impact on his villa experience.
Sam said: “My hearing aids pick up a lot of different sounds, so in busy group conversations I have to concentrate really hard to follow what’s being said.
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“Looking back, I realised I had developed a habit of quietly stepping back from conversations if I couldn’t hear properly instead of asking people to repeat themselves or moving closer.
“It wasn’t until I came out of the villa and people pointed it out that I realised I was doing that. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that there’s nothing wrong with speaking up and saying, ‘Do you mind if I move closer so I can hear you?’
“Most people are more than happy to help, you just have to ask.”
Sam has been wearing hearing aids for as long as he can remember, and recalls being teased about them.
It was also something he was mindful of when he got older, and started dating.
Sam said: “When it came to dating, I was always quite mindful of where we went, especially on a first date.
“I’d naturally choose somewhere quieter because I didn’t want to be in a situation where I was struggling to hear and constantly asking someone to repeat themselves.
“You don’t want that to become the focus of getting to know someone.
“And like anyone with something that makes them feel different, I was definitely self-conscious at times.
“But as I’ve got older, I’ve become much more confident.
“Now I hardly even think about the fact I’m wearing hearing aids.
“I just see them as part of who I am, and I hope more people start looking at them the same way they look at glasses and they see them as something that’s there to help you, not something to hide.
“I rely on my hearing aids every single day, so they’ve become part of who I am.”
Although he wasn’t successful in finding love, Sam has been able to make a huge difference to viewers with hearing difficulty.
He said: “I’ve received so many messages from parents whose children wear hearing aids and worry about what opportunities they’ll have growing up.
“If my story can give them reassurance that hearing loss doesn’t have to stop you achieving your dreams, then that’s incredibly rewarding.
“If seeing me wearing mine on national television gives even one person the confidence to wear theirs proudly, then that’s something I’m really proud of.”
As part of his work in normalising hearing aid visibility, Sam has partnered with Boots Hearingcare to raise awareness for the free hearing tests being offered by the company.
He said: “My biggest piece of advice is simple: go and get your hearing tested.
“Hearing aids should be seen the same way glasses are – as something enabling, not something to hide.
“And today they’re genuine pieces of tech, connecting to your phone, streaming calls and music, not just helping you hear better.
“They help me communicate with people, but they also allow me to hear important things most people take for granted, like smoke alarms, emergency announcements and everyday sounds that keep you safe.
“I honestly can’t imagine life without them.”
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