Jude Monk McGowan was born "half deaf".
The \'Hollyoaks\' actor - known for his role as Liam Donovan after taking over from Maxim Baldry last year - had encouraged his Instagram followers to vote in yesterday\'s (12.12.19) UK General Election as he heaped praise on the NHS and everything it\'s done to improve his hearing over the years.
He wrote: "I was born half deaf. Without the NHS I wouldn\'t have gained my hearing. I have had multiple operations to save my hearing throughout my life - all free.
"In my profession and indeed in almost every other profession, hearing is essential.
"I am overcome with gratitude for what is the greatest institution this country has ever produced."
The soap star posted a photo reading "I [love] the NHS", and admitted he\'s worried for the future of the service amid the possibility of government cuts.
He added: "A small procedure here. A bed for the night there and before you know it, gone."
Jude recently opened up about the ongoing \'Who Shot Mercedes?\' storyline, and he teased the idea the whodunit plot centred around Jennifer Metcalfe\'s alter-ego could be nearing a big reveal.
He said: "We\'ve exhausted the motives of the potential shooters, so intuitively I\'d say we\'re coming closer to finding out who it was."
He also suggested that while his character will "always have feelings" for his former lover, they won\'t stay the same.
He explained: "I\'m sure he will always have feelings for Mercedes, what those feelings are will change.
"Like any relationship, you always have feelings for the people you have relationships with, the nature of them will just change."
