h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The clip for next week's show was shown this week, which I thought would make me cringe and didn't.

I thought I sounded quite posh, but it was recorded before the clean started and I usually revert to "I ain't done no cleanin, I normally do nuffink around the awse, wos that in that bo''le" when I'm tired and stressed.

Of course I was talking about dog sick and dog poo but that's not the point.

I never thought you had an Essex accent... maybe a bit # 'Londonish' which is sort of differnt to my ears at least... Mind, that'd be quite a few years ago I last heard you talking, at a meet...

I come from the bit of Essex where Estuary English is common, which is similar to London accent, plus my Grandmother who looked after us a lot when we were growing up was from London, so I used to speak a mix of the two. Before two years at a private school where I picked up a slightly less grating accent, and I've worked hard ever since to pronounce my words properly. My mum used to say we all spoke really nicely before we went to school! If I hear someone speak it now I think it sounds really common...

When I get pissed I lapse as well...

Oh, wot a clarss traitor, gorblimey stone the crows apples and pears gawd bless ya guv'nor yer a toff an no mistake.

I'll get me smuvver

My girls used to say it only came out when I got cross and then I would turn on the full Essex.

And anyway, I grew up in Basildon. Therefore you *are* posh!

The Full Essex,

We're not so posh here anymore, poundland moved in, and some of the plebs want Morrisons instead of a Waitrose. Tch.

I think the absolute best example of the Full Essex is the way Billy Bragg makes these lines rhyme perfectly in "A New England":

I loved the words you wrote to me
But that was bloody yesterday
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgwU4zCEJtY at 1.17

Recently I've been listening to the audio book of Michael Caine reading his own autobiography "The Elephant to Hollywood". It's the South London accent of my granny and I love listening to it. I'm a South Londoner by birth, like Mr Bragg and we didn't get to Essex until I was 8.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/3631918/Family-Detective-Billy-Bragg.html

He talks like I heard a lot of when I was growing up...

It is very comfortingly familiar, his accent. I've just realised that's the first time I've SEEN Billy Bragg - heard a lot on the radio, but never seen him. That clip is 25 years old, I doubt he's so good-looking these days ... will go and have a look.

You've got your name in the Radio Times! And it's your real name too. I had to remind myself who they meant!

ooohhh.... Must go out and buy all the TV guides. :D

Oh and that was the point, use my real name so no-one knows who I am.