Student searches for his father’s Brummie voice

A student who uses text-to-speech software to communicate is looking for a new voice so he can have the same accent as his late father.

Christian Wilson, who studies at the University of Worcester, hopes people will send in recordings of their voices so they can become his voice.

The student said it would be a dream come true to have the same accent as his father.

He is looking for someone with a Birmingham accent and a touch of Warwickshire as his father is from Warwickshire and a Birmingham City fan.

“I don’t remember my father, but having his voice would mean he could live on in me,” he said.

Mr Wilson suffers from verbal dyspraxia, a difficulty in positioning muscles to speak.

“I’m from Bromsgrove and was born in Birmingham. I want to sound like a Birmingham person, not a character from Star Wars or Cyborg from Doctor Who,” he said.

“When I was younger, I was always jealous of my friends because they all had what I wanted, but if I could find my voice, it would be a dream come true.”

People with a Birmingham or Warwickshire accent are invited to submit recordings of themselves reading the words: “Hello, my name is Christian and it’s nice to meet you. I study at the University of Worcester and live in the Midlands.”

Once two favorite voices, called voice donors, have been selected, Speak Unique’s software combines them into a unique voice that replaces the voice currently in use.

The voice donor is expected to record himself reading 150 sentences.

Anyone who can help should email [email protected].