British accents in American programmes.

Has anyone else noticed how British accents seem 'different' in American programmes? I used to think, it was just the contrast with the American voice that made the British voice seem false or over done.

Friends fans will notice that any British actors sound a bit like Dick Van Dyke.

I watched 24 Live another day recently and there was a scene where our own Kay Burley was reporting the news on TV but her voice sounded completely different to real life. It was as though the sound engineers had raised her voice by a couple of octaves and added a bit of 'Britishness'.

Re: British accents in American programmes.

They probably use a voice-over actor to make the accent sound better to Americans.

Re: British accents in American programmes.

I haven't seen an American programme for such a long time I can't remember how they speak

Re: British accents in American programmes.

There was at one time quite alot of British actors who would vanish off our screens and then turn up on the US screens in some big movie or other.
But you are right LD when the Yanks start trying to copy the British accents they sometimes sound appalling.
I always wondered why Daphne from Frasier sounded so false at one time I thought her a yank but then found out she was a Brit it was just her Northern accent that was false. Her coming from Essex that is.

Re: British accents in American programmes.

I have also noticed that a lot of the Brits sound Australian.

Re: British accents in American programmes.

That bloke in Magnum(not magnum himself) wound me up with his fake accent.

Re: British accents in American programmes.

Certainly, a lot of our young kids do (or did). That's down to Neighbours, of course.

Re: British accents in American programmes.

I think that's where upspeak came from too.

Re: British accents in American programmes.

How lucky can you be

Re: British accents in American programmes.

I suppose they might sound New Zealandish... New Zealandian or whatever it is. You all sound the same to us anyway.