Lulu, 75, makes worrying health admission as she addresses retirement from touring: 'I got tested'
Lulu, 75, has admitted her hearing has been hindered following a career on stage
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Lulu, 75, has candidly opened up about her struggles with hearing loss due to spending the best part of six decades performing on stage.
The singer, who burst into the spotlight thanks to Eurovision in the 1960s, is scheduled to perform a string of dates later this year after previously stating her intention to step back from touring.
Lulu appeared on television on Friday morning to discuss how "part two" of her final tour will commence in November but admitted performing on stage for six decades has taken its toll.
When presenter Kate Garraway asked Lulu about the "challenges" she now faces when performing, Lulu opened up about her health woe.
"If you’re 75 I don’t think your hearing is going to be good as it used to be," she began. "But if you’re in the rock 'n' roll business, if you’re a performer, and a lot of them - I'm not gonna mention names - are deaf! They have no hearing at all.
"So I went to Specsavers because they now do hearing aids and hearing protection, and I had my ears tested.
Lulu will be touring for the last time later this year
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"And yes, moderate hearing loss but you know me, I don’t want to not hear people!
"I want to hear what they're saying in the next room, I want to hear everything and my music," she added on Good Morning Britain.
Lulu also allayed fears that the final leg of her upcoming tour will be the last opportunity fans have to hear her sing.
She admitted: "This is not the last time ever I’m going to sing, not the last time ever I’m going to perform, but doing tours the way I’ve done them… I’m 75.
Lulu burst on to the showbiz scene thanks to Eurovision in the 1960s
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"I did a final tour just a few months ago and because it sold out and people couldn't get in, the promoters enticed me - and it wasn't difficult to - to do a B part, a part two, so I start that in November."
Lulu first floated the idea of stepping back from the world of touring back in February when she spoke to friend Gyles Brandreth on his podcast Rosebud.
The 75-year-old confessed at the time: "This is actually – I’m announcing it for the first time now – this is my farewell tour, with family and friends.
"Because last year I did a tour that was kind of grueling – it was successful it went well – but you need an army to be a success in your career these days.
"And I felt unsupported. But when I turned 75, and I thought, ‘You know what, I want to carry on working, But I want to do it a different way’.”
This isn't the first time Lulu has addressed her loss of hearing, previously saying (via the Daily Record): "After being on stage nearly all of my life, I have always noticed ringing and muffled sounds, but never really thought much of it.
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"Music has always been a cornerstone of everything I do, so it's incredibly important that I can still enjoy it.
"Wearing hearing aids will mean I can continue to hear every note.
"But it's more than just this - connecting with people is a huge part of my life and I want to be able to join the conversation and not be left out of it.
"The good news is it's not too late for me to preserve the rest of my hearing," she added before urging others to adopt hearing protection if needed.