The parents of comedian Jack Whitehall, Michael and Hilary, have opened up on how a health issue has been impacting their marriage. Michael, 85, recently commissioned a moving billboard to travel through the streets of West London, bearing a simple but meaningful message that turned heads and sparked curiosity among passers-by as he sent a grovelling apology to his wife, 64.

It read: “Dear Hilary, I’m sorry. Love, Michael xx”. The regret comes after a series of crossed wires and everyday miscommunications between the couple – moments Michael now recognises may be linked to a recent diagnosis which was discovered after a simple check. After a week of bickering and misunderstandings that had fans speculating, Hilary and Michael Whitehall have revealed the real reason behind it all. It’s not marital drama; it’s untreated hearing loss. Hilary exclusively told Express.co.uk what had been happening in their marital home.

She said: “Well, it was a bit of a build-up, I have to say. It was a build-up of things that happen that, in an isolated way, you don’t think much about it, but then when you have a sort of cumulative effect, then you begin to really think about it. So, for instance, my step count went right through the roof and it was double what it was and it made me think ‘why is that?’ And then I realised that Michael’s study is on the first floor and I was shouting up the stairs. But he wasn’t hearing what I was saying so I was going up to repeat myself and then coming back down again.”

Eventually, after a number of problems, including worries about Michael not hearing directions properly for their podcast tour – The Whittering Whitehalls – Hilary decided to pop into Specsavers and get him booked in for a hearing test.

She said: “They’re so easy and quick.” Michael then explained that the hearing test had found he was suffering from “a small amount of hearing loss in the upper frequencies”.

Michael Whitehall commented: “I’ve always blamed our usual bickers on Hilary’s mumbling. After a little persuasion, I had a hearing check at Specsavers, and it turns out I have a little bit of hearing loss. Who knew? The most romantic thing you can do for your partner? Is book a hearing check.

“Safe to say, missing half the conversation isn’t ideal in a marriage. Now I’ve been fitted with hearing devices, I’ve realised how much I was missing before – and the issues my hearing was causing.”

Hilary shared that her husband had been shown a “wonderful array of hearing devices” to help him communicate better now that the problem had been confirmed. She turned to Mr Whitehall and said: “You picked ones that matched your hair, right? Silver fox hearing device for a silver fox!”

She added: “We actually opted for the ones that sit right behind his ear, but because they are silver you don’t really notice. They’re very discreet. They’re great as you can control it all on your phone. So, you are able to react to whatever situation you are in.”

Michael and Hilary Whitehall are a well-known British couple, recognised for their appearances in the Netflix series Travels With My Father alongside their son, Jack Whitehall. They have been married for many years and have three children, including Jack. The couple also co-authored How To Survive Family Holidays and host a podcast called The Wittering Whitehalls, which tours later this year.

Michael’s diagnosis comes as new research from Specsavers reveals that couples aged 55+ now say “What?” more often than “I love you.” Furthermore, nearly half (46%) of people in relationships admit they’ve argued with their partner due to not hearing them properly, leading to feelings of frustration (42%), being ignored (33%), and even unloved (11%).

To watch the Whitehall’s PSA please visit this link. If you or your partner aren’t quite hearing each other clearly or you’re not getting the whole conversation, book a free hearing check with a Specsavers hearing expert. It might just solve more than you think.