Overview

• A OnePoll survey of 2,000 UK adults commissioned by Specsavers found over-55 couples say “what?” more often than “I love you,” with nearly half reporting arguments triggered by mishearing each other each week.
• Michael and Hilary Whitehall staged public disagreements as part of the campaign and confirmed that Michael’s undiagnosed mild hearing loss has now been treated with hearing devices.
• Nearly half of couples admit to shouting to be heard at least sometimes, while one in five ask partners to repeat themselves seven times or more each week, leading to feelings of frustration, neglect and disconnection.
• Relationship specialist Sarah Louise Ryan warns that hearing issues are an underrecognized source of marital friction and encourages couples to seek professional help to improve communication.
• Specsavers hearing expert Sonam Sehemby cautions that around 18 million UK adults may have undiagnosed loss and urges routine checks to avoid treatment delays of up to a decade.