Hearing shock for actor after charity trip to Africa

The Gavin and Stacey and EastEnders star was in the country to publicise the deprivation faced by people in the capital Dakar.

But, despite taking anti-malarial drugs during his trip, upon returning home he was struck down with a debilitating fever. This left him with an ear infection, which resulted in the complete loss of hearing in his right ear.

He has now been fitted with a groundbreaking hearing aid which uses Bluetooth technology.

Lamb, 62, said: "Losing my hearing has been a nightmare and a real shock to the system."

Audiologist Colin Campbell, from Specsavers hearing centres, where Lamb had the device fitted, said: "This type of sudden hearing loss is quite unusual and the infection that Larry contracted damaged his hearing so much that he has been left with permanent damage.

"Larry is now wearing very discreet hearing aids, the size of a jelly bean, which send the sounds he should be hearing in his right ear via Bluetooth technology to a device worn in his left ear."

Lamb added: "I didn't even question whether I could get away without them. Pride just doesn't come into it when it's your career and quality of life in question."