TV choirmaster: Britain’s so noisy I wear earplugs
AS a choirmaster he’s used to a loud burst of song.
But Gareth Malone claims everyday life in Britain is now so noisy he’s forced to wear earplugs at all times.
The star of The Choir said: ‘I wear earplugs all the time now, even on the tube.’
‘I am a self-confessed old fogey. Everyone plays music too loudly and it drives me insane.
‘My ears are the tools of my trade and I don’t want to do anything to endanger them.
‘If wearing a pink suit and dancing down the street would protect them I would do it in a heartbeat.’
The 41-year-old told Love Sunday magazine he is happy to ‘look like a geek’ if it means preserving his hearing and with good reason.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), noise pollution is one of the most pressing threats to public health, second only to air pollution, and responsible for a conditions from stress and sleep problems to heart disease and strokes.
Loud sounds from traffic and aircraft noise, music and household machinery are all linked to the phenomenon.
Malone and wife Becky have two children – Esther, six, and Gilbert, three.
He is best known for his appearances in BBC show The Choir. Malone was handed an OBE in the 2012 Birthday Honours, for services to music.
The WHO estimates 40 per cent of Europe’s population is exposed to noise levels in excess of 55 decibels in the home, which is about the same level as a noisy office.
When these noises have to be listened to for too long or at the wrong time, they can inflict physical and mental harm, possibly even disrupting children’s learning. Increasing evidence shows this damage is not just to the ears, but to blood vessels and the heart as well.
Recent research showed road traffic and aircraft noise increase the risk of high blood pressure, especially at night.
A study around London’s Heathrow airport found high levels of aircraft noise was associated with increased risks of hospital admission and death for stroke and heart disease in the nearby area.
Scientists found a correlation between noise exposure and the risk of a heart attack due to the increase in ‘psychological and physiological stress’ on the body.
It activates the sympathetic nervous system – which controls the ‘fight or flight response’ raising blood pressure and pulse – which over time can damage the cardiovascular system.
Due to the sheer number of people who are affected by noise pollution, researchers have argued action must be taken to address it.
Experts have recommend interventions to reduce noise at source by masking or screening it using barriers or sound insulation, or even by designing society to be less noisy in the first place.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan recently unveiled plans for quieter buses in the capital.