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Pete Tong has opened up about his irreversible hearing loss, sharing his regret at not protecting his ears and how going partially deaf has 'changed his attitude'.
The veteran DJ was one of the most influential figures in dance music and a defining presence of the 1990s Ibiza scene.
Now 65, he continues to host on Radio 1, but decades spent in clubs have taken their toll.
Around 10 years ago, he experienced hearing loss in his right ear and now wears earplugs while performing.
He also relies on hearing aids to help him follow conversations in meetings and noisy environments.
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Pete admitted it was a 'really difficult transition' as he adjusted to his life as a DJ after hearing loss.
Pete Tong has shared his regret over not protecting his ears as he opened up about irreversible hearing loss
The veteran DJ became one of the most influential figures in dance music and a defining presence of the 1990s Ibiza scene (pictured in Ibiza in 2012)
Pete, who has teamed up with Boots Hearingcare to raise awareness for hearing tests, shared that the transition into wearing earplugs has been difficult.
He explained: 'I have to say it was a really difficult transition to get used to because you're kind of isolating yourself to a certain extent.
'You have to get used to it, and you have to find the right balance with the right earplugs with the right filters to still feel that you're in the room enough.
'I mean, you'd be amazed how many top top DJs still don't wear earplugs. It surprises me. People who work way more than I do are still not wearing earplugs.'
Pete added that while he doesn't feel pressure to downplay his hearing loss, it has given him a 'change of attitude'.
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.
'So I think anything stigma related to kind of wearing a hearing device is kind of melted away, certainly for me, yeah.'
While Pete has adjusted to life after hearing loss, he confessed that he regrets not taking precautions on the club scene by covering his years.
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.
'I think just coming through the whole evolution and the rise of popularity of DJing, It, it wasn't something that we really spoke about in the 90s.'
The DJ, who has teamed up with Boots Hearingcare to raise awareness for hearing tests, told the Daily Mail: 'Everything that was done in the past is purely from ignorance and innocence, you know'
The DJ is set to go on his Ibiza Classics tour in the summer, up until the end of the year (pictured a Boots Hearingcare event)
