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Andy Cartledge Dies

(December 2008)

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CY
cylon6
adc82140 posted:
Quote:
clear voice was the most important thing that they looked for in a continuity announcer, such as Richard Straker or David Wheal.



Don't forget Peter Brook as well, who we also lost tragically young.


I didn't know he was dead! What a shame. Sad
PC
Paul Clark
Phil Vowels made a lovely on-air dedication to Peter Brook before signing-off, on one night during the 2006 Christmas period.

Peter and Andy both had such long and very commendable tenures at the BBC, that I can happily say I grew up with their voices introducing junctions, which from my perspective would've been for more than a decade.

It does seem the BBC are now more open to employing less traditional announcers, and I can understand the decision - but it is a shame, considering some of the newer staff do not speak with the same clarity, and some are perhaps less suited to serious announcements, which in the past would have never been an issue.

That said, of the current BBC announcers, practically all of them do a good job, and there are still some who are great all-rounders in my own view; Phil, Peter Offer, Matthew Jackson to name a few.

It would be a sad day if the more traditional style of continuity voice was to ever completely disappear from BBC TV - I believe it should always have a place there.
TV
TV Times
I agree - although I would put Duncan up there too with the good guys at the moment as well as Dean Lydiate who I think is a great announcer.

Sadly it's the one female announcer with the dodgy voice who is sadly the runt of the litter - how on earth she got the job is beyond me!
CL
clanger
Andy was a GREAT announcer, with such natural warmth and professionalism. His voice (and that of Peter Brook) takes me back to Christmas afternoons, Saturday mornings and late night closedowns. Hugely influential.

For better or for worse, all things in life have to evolve or we'd all still be listening to Sony Walkmans and renting films on video. Love them or hate them, even continuity announcers (I'll leave you to decide who are the good, the bad and the ugly) have to move with the times.

I wonder what some of those classic announcers would sound like today? One thing's for sure- Andy, Peter and their colleagues from that golden era will certainly be missed

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