Non-cancerous growth has made him deaf in one ear

Vic Reeves has revealed that he has an inoperable brain tumour that's left him deaf in one ear

The comedian has been diagnosed with a vestibular schwannoma which is growing on his brain and affecting his hearing.

It is not cancerous, but the growths can become dangerous if they get too big.

Reeves, 62- is undergo regular MRI scans to monitor the size in case surgery is needed.

The comedian, real name Jim Moir, made the revelation on The Adam Buxton Podcast.

He explained: ‘I've gone completely deaf, 100 per cent deaf, in the left ear, and it will never come back. It's dead - absolutely completely gone. It's like the size of a grape so they just have to keep an eye on it.

‘It's benign. They can't remove it - they can shrink it or they can leave it and keep an eye on it, and that's what they're doing.’

‘The eardrum and your brain, there's a nerve and that takes all the information from your ear to your brain and the tumour is right in between the nerve, so it's gone ping and snapped it and you can't reattach nerves.’

The comic is a music-lover – and is supporting his pal Jools Holland and tour – but said: ‘I had to throw away all me stereo LPs… Can you imagine a life without stereo records - no more will I hear Jimi Hendrix… On If 6 Was 9 he goes all over the place.

‘I thought it was great stereo when it first happened. All I've got left is Frank Ifield and mono!'

He explained that it affected other hobbies too: ‘Because I like going out bird watching I never know where the birds are because I can hear them, but I don't know what direction they're in. 

‘If an aeroplane flies over or a car approaches, I don't know where it is. I'm living with deafness.’

Published: 27 Sep 2021