Who Are The People Who Do The Voices You Hear Every Day?

    From buses to supermarket checkouts to planes, we always hear the same announcements. Who actually does them?

    Scott Bryan
    by Scott Bryan

    BuzzFeed Entertainment Editor, UK

    1. Listen to this.

    Via youtube.com / TFL

    1. That's right it's the voice that you hear when you're on the bus in London. But who does it?

      TFL / PA
      Correct! 
      Wrong! 

      It's Emma Hignett!

      Emma Hignett has recorded the names of more than 45,000 bus stops over the years. She records them all from her home in County Durham.

      emmahignett.com / Via thisiscroydontoday.co.uk
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    2. Okay.... now listen to this one.

    Via soundcloud.com / BBC

    1. It's from Radio 4. And who is it done by?

      bbc.co.uk
      Correct! 
      Wrong! 

      Neil Nunes.

      Neil Nunes. Originally from Jamaica, Neil joined the BBC as a correspondent for their Caribbean Service, before joining Radio 4 as a continuity announcer in 2006.

      bbc.co.uk
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    3. Where do you recognise this voice from?

    Via youtube.com / TFL

    1. It's the one on the Victoria line. Who does it?

      upload.wikimedia.org
      Correct! 
      Wrong! 

      Sarah Parnell.

      Sarah has been a voiceover artist for over 20 years. As well as trains she also does many radio and voices the automated options when you ring a call centre.

      voiceoversltd.co.uk
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    4. Speaking of trains, how about this one?

    Via youtube.com

    1. That's right. It's the one you hear on trains and at platforms like at Waterloo. Who is it done by?

      serenadevi.wordpress.com
      Correct! 
      Wrong! 

      A guy called Phil Sayer.

      Phil is a former BBC North news presenter. He can be heard at thousands of stations across the UK, as well as on First Capital and South West Trains.

      presentersagency.com
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    5. Do you recognise this one?

    Via youtube.com

    1. And who is it done by?

      commons.wikimedia.org
      Correct! 
      Wrong! 

      Elinor Hamilton (Phil Sayer's WIFE!)

      This means that at Underground stations like Brixton and Finsbury Park, you can hear Phil announcing that you should keep your bags with you followed by Elinor telling you the next train arriving at the platform. Sweet.

      youtube.com
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    6. Enough of stations. Let's try the TV.

    Via youtube.com

    1. And what does the person look like?

      BBC One / Via idents.org
      Correct! 
      Wrong! 

      It's Duncan Newmarch

      Duncan joined BBC Continuity in April 2004. Previously you would have heard him presenting the breakfast show on Trax FM in Yorkshire.

      Twitter: @DuncanNewmarch
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    7. Next clip!

    Via youtube.com / BBC

    1. Will the judges now reveal his face. It's...

      bbc.co.uk
      Correct! 
      Wrong! 

      Alan Dedicoat.

      It's Alan Dedicoat aka. "Voice of the Balls" on the National Lottery. His other credits include Wake Up to Wogan, Dancing with the Stars. He is also the voice of the Radio 2 "emergency CD" when they have to evacuate the building due to a fire alarm.

      krugercowne.com
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    8. How about this one?

    Via channel4.com

    1. It's the guy from Come Dine With Me OBVS. But who is he really?

      channel4.com
      Correct! 
      Wrong! 

      It's Dave Lamb!

      Dave Lamb has narrated every episode of Come Dine of Me, which started in 2005. He's also voices Big Barn Farm on CBeebies.

      channel4.com
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    9. Speaking of TV, does this one ring a bell?

    Via youtube.com / Channel 5 / Viacom International

    1. DADDY PIG. And who is it played by?

      Channel 5 / Viacom / Via crewcutandnewt.com
      Correct! 
      Wrong! 

      This man. Richard Ridings.

      He's also been on ITV's Fat Friends and an unaired pilot of Game of Thrones.

      Via magweb.com
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    10. And finally, form an orderly queue...

    Via youtube.com

    1. That's right. It's those terrible self-checkout machines. Who does the voice for this?

      thegrocer.co.uk
      Correct! 
      Wrong! 

      It's a secret!

      The voice is a closely guarded secret by the self-checkout owner, the National Cash Register Company (NCR). According to the Daily Mail, this is so a self-checkout rival can't find out who does it and poach her. We'll never know who keeps screeching about unexpected items in the bagging area :(

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