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American Radio broadcaster Ian Punnett passed away on December 21, 2023, at the age of 63 after battling an unknown illness. He was known for hosting Coast to Coast AM from the 90s until he exited the show in 2012. According to Twin Cities, the broadcaster had to leave the show as he was struggling with complications of tinnitus in 2012.
Tinnitus refers to a condition where people hear ringing noises in the ear. The problem is mostly linked to age-related hearing loss, ear injury, or any issue with the circulatory system.
As soon as the news of Ian Punnett's death was shared on social media, it went viral and was followed by a number of tributes from fans and acquaintances.
Wildcat 91.9's Facebook page shared a post along with some of Ian's pictures and wrote that he had trained a lot of broadcasters throughout his career. The post described Ian as a "one-of-a-kind professor, author, and broadcaster."
"Words cannot capture the essence of Ian's accomplishments and leadership capabilities. He was a one of a kind professor, author and broadcaster that brought the best out of his students." the Facebook post read.
Ian Punnett's survivors include his wife Margery and their two children.
Ian Punnett left his show at Coast to Coast AM for suffering from tinnitus
According to Coast to Coast AM's official website, Ian Punnett had been associated with them since 2000 when he joined as a full-time host for the show. Although he had a successful career over the years, the broadcaster soon began having issues after he was diagnosed with tinnitus.
Twin Cities revealed that Ian began to experience complications in 2009 and doctors advised him to start getting treatment for the same. Punnett began struggling with headaches and issues with sleeping due to tinnitus. He also addressed the ringing noises he heard in a statement and said that it never went away.
"It's the last sound I hear at night, it's the first sound I hear in the morning. It often wakes me up in the middle of the night." Ian added.
Tinnitus refers to "ringing in the ears" leading to random noises, as revealed by Mayo Clinic. Individuals diagnosed with the disease might hear different noises, including ringing, buzzing, roaring, clicking, hissing, and humming.
The range of the noises could be different every time but sometimes it can be so loud that the person might not be able to hear anything else. The problem is caused due to hearing loss, ear infections, head and neck injuries, and more. People also might suffer from complications like depression, anxiety, and stress.
Social media platforms flooded with tributes
Ian Punnett was active in the world of radio for a long time and had a number of people paying tribute to him. 1360kman stated that Ian Punnett worked as a radio broadcaster for around 35 years.
According to the official website of Coast to Coast AM, Ian was a co-host of various morning radio shows on radio stations like WXLP, WKDF, and WMJY.
He completed his education while working on radio and joined the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication from where he got his Ph.D. He became popular as the morning show host on KTMY-FM and was involved with Coast to Coast AM since 2000.
Punnett hosted more than 400 editions of Coast to Coast AM until July 2013 and spoke on various topics related to the paranormal, scientific theories, and more. He also addressed his meeting with the director of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Rupert Wyatt.
