One of the UK’s most recognisable TV broadcasters, ‘Voiceover Man’ Peter Dickson has been the announcer behind Britain’s Got Talent, The X Factor, Live at the Apollo, and countless other shows, radio programmes, and video games.
In this “Media Masters” interview with Paul Blanchland from Media Focus, Peter reveals what it’s like to work with Simon Cowell, explains the vigorous vocal exercises involved in creating his beloved booming voice, and discusses how the voiceover industry works.
Peter Dickson Bio
THE X FACTOR UK – Britain’s biggest multi BAFTA and NTA Award winning TV show – has been a highlight in Peter’s calendar since it launched onto our screens in 2004. Of his voice, Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh have both said: “We couldn’t imagine the show without him. He is The X Factor”.
In a recent national poll, he was voted as having one of the top three iconic voices of the decade.
From vocal work on radio and TV commercials, commentary for big international stadium events, multimedia games, cartoon animation and corporate presentation to documentary narration and prime-time TV shows – Peter Dickson aka Voiceover Man is the king of all voice talent in the United Kingdom and has had a stellar career lasting over 40 years.
Early Years
He began his career at the BBC where he holds the unique distinction of being the youngest ever TV news presenter at the tender age of 17. In 1982 he moved to BBC Radio 2 in London, as an announcer. He has presented his own entertainment series “Peter Dickson’s Nightcap” for BBC Radio 2 which ran for 4 years and launched Melody Radio in London with Lord Hanson in 1991 where he presented the flagship breakfast show.
Working with Big Names In Entertainment
During his career he has worked alongside some of the biggest names in entertainment:
Kenneth Williams, Barbara Windsor, Peter Ustinov, Tommy Trinder, Ernie Wise, Roy Hudd, Angela Landsbury, Peter Ustinov, Sir Bruce Forsyth, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, Simon Cowell, Piers Morgan, Ant and Dec, Vernon Kaye, Peter Kay, Sir Tom Jones, Jonathan Ross, Michael McIntyre, Alan Carr, Lee Evans, JLS, Leona Lewis, Steve Wright, One Direction, Jerry Springer and many more of the world’s top performers.
Portfolio Of Work
He was the main promotions voice for the UK’s main National TV Channel BBC 1 TV for 8 years; was the voice of E4, the UK’s No1 Youth channel, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. He created, wrote and performed many of the household name characters for Steve Wright’s groundbreaking national afternoon and morning shows on BBC Radio 1.
- Britain’s Got Talent – 7 series – BAFTA Winner – ITV
- The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer – Golden Rose of Montreux Winner
- They Think It’s All Over – BBC TV
- Bruce’s Price is Right – 7 series – ITV
- Family Fortunes – 24 series – ITV
- Late Night with Jerry Springer – ITV
- Last Chance Lottery Live – Commentator – C4
- Soapstar Superstar – 2 series – ITV
- Ant and Dec’s Gameshow – NTA and BAFTA winner
- The Paul O’Grady Show – Multiple NTA Award Winner
- Never Mind the Buzzcocks – BBC TV
- The New Paul O’Grady Show – BAFTA and NTA and RTS winner
- The Osbournes Reloaded – Fox and MTV (USA)
- Celebrity Mr & Mrs – 6 series ITV
- The National Television Awards – Live at O2 Arena London – ITV
- Sport Relief – BBC1
- Comic Relief – BBC1
- Ooglies – BBC1 TV -BAFTA nominated
- Football Focus – BBC TV
- The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – BBC TV
- Hedz – BBC1 TV – Multiple Bafta winner
- Live at the Apollo – 6 series
- Stand up for the Weekend – BBC TV
- Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow – BBC TV
- Roboidz – CBBC
- Cirque de Celebrite – SKY 1 – Commentator – Sky1
- Sport Relief 2010 – Live Stadium Announcer – Old Trafford Manchester United FC, Manchester UK.
- Ashes to Ashes – BBC TV
- Harley Street – BBC TV
- Hole in the Wall – BBC TV
- Saturday Night Divas – ITV
- All Star Family Fortunes – 7 series – ITV
- Viewer of the Year – Live – ITV
- Monkey Dust – Animation – BAFTA Nominated
- The X Factor 2004 – 2013
- The X Factor – Battle of the Stars 2006 and 2007
- The X Factor won the BAFTA for best entertainment show in 2006 and the award for best light entertainment show at the national TV awards in 2007, 2009 and 2010. It has also won multiple TRIC and RTS Awards
- Test the Nation – LIVE – 8 series BBC TV
- Abbamania – ITV
- Discomania – ITV
- Chris Moyles Quiz Night – 5 series – Channel 4
- Elvismania – ITV
- Brainiac – 4 series – ITV
- Brainiac Live Tour – UK – 2010, 2011
- Audience with Joe Pasquale – ITV
- Stars in their eyes – ITV
- Record of the year – ITV
- British Soap Awards – ITV
- The BAFTA Awards – BBC
- Final Score – BBC1
- Magic Numbers – ITV
- The X Factor Top 20 Chart show – MTV
- “Help For Heroes” concert at Twickenham – Commentator – 70,000 capacity audience. Live Stadium Announcer – BBC TV
- Guinness World records Smashed – Live Commentator – Sky TV
- The London 2012 Olympic Games.
Peter Dickson is also one of Britain’s best known TV and radio promo voices.
His clients include:
MTV, Sky Sports, Eurosport, TWI, Cartoon Network, E4, EMAP, RTE, Trouble, Capital Radio, Global, Chrysalis, Cameron Mackintosh, Boomerang, BBC News 24, Discovery, Bravo, BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, The History Channel, Performance TV, The Biography Channel, Nickelodeon, UK Choice, Virgin, National Geographic, FX TV, Virgin Media, UK Play, Challenge TV, Sky1, Sky Movies, Screensport, Disney Channel, TNT Classic Movies, BBC World, UK Gold, UK Horizons, Meridian, Anglia, Yorkshire TV, Granada, Carlton, Sky Movies, UPCtv, Channel 1 and Real Estate TV with Bruce Dunlop Associates, Virgin on Demand, Kerrang, Jetix, Newstalk Dublin, 4FM Ireland, Absolute Radio, Real Radio, Global, TV Choice.
Multimedia :
Narration, voiceover and characters for PC, X Box 360 and PS3, 3DS and Wii
- Voiceover Man stars as the hero “Maze” in the best selling worldwide computer game Fable 1 and Fable 2, produced for Microsoft’s X Box. He also appears in multiple other roles, alongside Stephen Fry, John Cleese and a stellar cast of international performers in Fable 3.
- He plays one of the Thompson Twins in worldwide hit The Adventures of Tintin – The Secret of the Unicorn developed for PC, X Box, PS3 and Wii by games giant Ubisoft Montpellier.
- He plays the Emperor Sorean of High Entia in Xenoblade Chronicles – Nintendo’s worldwide hit RPG for the Wii.
- He is the Game host on the very first game developed for the X Box 360 Kinect – “Kinect Sports” and “Kinect Sports – Season 2.
- He is the lead voice on Everybody’s Tennis and Golf for Sony.
- Starred with Peter Egan and James Faulkner on XBlades 2 for Konami.
- Peter was at E3 – The Electronic Entertainment Expo – in LA in Summer of 2010, where Steven Spielberg unveiled the new Kinect Xbox 360 technology at the Microsoft session.
- He has been the voice of the X Factor Stadium Tour for 11 years
- And hosts around 40 major corporate events and awards ceremonies each year.
RADIO:
Peter can be heard daily on virtually every single radio station in the UK and Ireland. His voice is also a fixture on radio stations in major markets in Australia, The USA and the Middle East. Over the past 29 years, he has made more than 30,000 radio commercials. Many of them award winning.
He has a loyal army of grateful and adoring clients most of whom are a little touched…….literally.
For more fascinating in depth interviews with other senior media professonals and influencers go to www.mediafocus.org.uk
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