William Shatner speaks out on ‘ups and downs' of living with ‘permanent' tinnitus after mishap on ‘Star Trek' set
The 94-year-old 'Star Trek' star spoke about living with the disease – which he was diagnosed with in the '90s – in a June 25 video for the nonprofit Tinnitus Quest.
Tinnitus is a condition that can be temporary or chronic, where people experience ringing or other noises in their ears, per the Mayo Clinic.
8 William Shatner opened up about the challenges of living with tinnitus.
Blue Origin/MEGA
'My own journey with tinnitus started when I was filming a 'Star Trek' episode called 'Arena,' and I was too close to the special effects explosion, and the result was that I was left with permanent tinnitus,' Shatner recalled. 'And over the years, I've had many ups and downs with my tinnitus, and I know from firsthand experience just how difficult it can get.'
Shatner played Admiral James Kirk in the sci-fi show 'Star Trek: The Original Series,' which aired for 3 seasons from 1966 to 1969. The show follows the crew of the starship USS Enterprise as it completes its space mission in the 23rd century.
8 William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk.
CBS /Landov
He also reprised his role in several 'Star Trek' films.
The 'Miss Congeniality' actor went on to explain how he's 'observed how Tinnitus has affected friends and colleagues.'
'It's a diverse condition,' Shatner advocated. 'About 1 to 2% of the population suffer from a chronic, debilitating form of Tinnitus and there are no effective treatments and that's why we need more research.'
In the clip, the Canadian actor asked the public for help raising money and awareness for the disease.
8 William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy in 'Star Trek.'
'The more money we can raise for Tinnitus Quest, the quicker we can find a solution to help the millions of people suffering,' said Shatner. 'Thank you so much for watching, and I hope you will consider donating to Tinnitus Quest.'
In 2023, the two-time Emmy winner opened up about the moment he knew something was wrong.
'I was on the beach and it's a vivid moment, and you know how the waves go out — the wave comes in [roars] and then it goes 'ssss' [as it] goes out,' Shatner told E! News at the time. 'All of a sudden, I kept hearing a 'ssss' even though there was another wave coming. And that's how I discovered [I had tinnitus].'
8 Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock and William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk in a 1968 episode of 'Star Trek.'
CBS /Landov
'And it started,' he recounted, 'and I went to the doctor and said, 'Will it get worse?' And he said, 'It might not.' But of course it does as you age, it gets worse.'
Shatner explained that he did end up getting used to the sound because 'your brain starts to assimilate the sound, like it would if you were living beside an airport.'
As the 'Boston Legal' actor put it, 'Sometimes it's really bad, but I know it's not going to kill me.'
'I realized that if you were given the choice of sight or sound, choose a faculty, most people would say, 'Well, sight, sight, sight!'' Shatner mused. 'It's argumentative, because sound gives you a 360-degree [perspective]. Imagine never hearing music again.'
8 William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy.
REUTERS
Despite his diagnosis, the Hollywood vet hasn't slow down over the years.
Shatner took home two Emmys, one in 2004 for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his role on 'The Practice,' then again in 2005 for his guest role on 'Boston Legal.'
That same year, he won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his work on the legal drama.
The TV personality has also hosted the History Channel documentary series 'The UnXplained' for seven seasons since 2019.
8 William Shatner hosting 'The UnXplained.'
Then, in 2021, Shatner became the oldest person to travel to space when he took a flight on Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin space shuttle at age 90.
Throughout his career, Shatner released 12 studio albums, with his most recent one being titled 'So Fragile, So Blue,' in 2024.
Also in 2024, Shatner starred in the mini-series '765874' in honor of the 30th anniversary of 'Star Trek: Generations.'
8 William Shatner went to space at 90.
Daniel Fox
When asked what it would take to reprise his role in 'Star Treck,' Shatner told The Post last year, 'An injection of speed or something.'
'I don't know,' he confessed. 'It's a commitment I don't know if I'm ready to make at this point in my life.'
In February, Shatner took to social media to tease retirement.
8 William Shatner poses for photos in the crew capsule of Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket.
Blue Origin/Mega
'Yesterday I was honored by the @SaturnAwards with a Lifetime Achievement Award 😍,' he wrote on Instagram alongside a picture from the ceremony. 'Although I'm wondering if that's a subtle hint to retire‽ 🤔🤷🏼😉🤣.'
But followers weren't having it, with one fan commenting, 'Oh please, don't retire. As long as you have fun doing all the things you do, why should you? You're still WAY too fit and too young at heart to retire!!! 😍😍😍.'
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