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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
James Brinsford

Countryfile's John Craven shares health concerns as issues 'creep up on him'

John Craven has shared concerns about his health as he fears that parts of his body is 'beginning to fail him'.

The 81-year-old Countryfile presenter has said that after having pretty good health for much of his life, he has felt that there have been issues since he turned 60.

The popular TV star had previously said that since he was 40, his eyesight has been deteriorating and has become blurred and for the past two decades, he has noticed that his hearing has been challenged.

Last month, John told the Daily Mail that he was worried about appearing on television while wearing glasses as he thought there would be negative comments from viewers.

John Craven fears his body is beginning to fail him (ITN Productions / ViacomCBS)

Fortunately, this proved to be a false worry and John's appearance was not the subject of discussion after all.

He said: "At first, I worried what people would say about my wearing spectacles on TV but there wasn’t a single comment.

“Then, in my 60s, my hearing began to fail.

“I couldn’t make out conversations in crowded places, the sounds of nature became muffled and ‘say it again’ started to become a common response.”

John Craven has said his hearing is becoming an issue (BBC Studios/Pete Dadds)

John has enjoyed more than 50 years on television with him getting his first presenting role, with John Craven's Newsround in 1972, after he landed a role working on another BBC children's programme.

As well as being one of the presenters on BBC's Countryfile, John is also spending time encouraging people to get their hearing tested and to break down barriers surrounding hearing aids after 56 per cent of people admitted that they felt a stigma around wearing them.

In September last year, John said that about 15 years ago he realised that he was struggling to hear what others were saying.

John Craven has been appearing on television for 50 years (john james)

John said: “It all started around 15 years ago, when I began to realise I was struggling to hear certain voices and sounds.

“I thought people were mumbling when they weren’t. ‘Say again please’ became too common a response to family, friends and colleagues, and in crowded rooms it was hard to follow conversations.

“I used to kid myself I’d developed ‘selective hearing’, but the truth was I was becoming a little deaf.

“Eventually, I confronted the fact I needed help, went for a free test at Specsavers, and my world changed.”

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