07969 409803 emma@emmahignett.com

What is the most frequent question I get asked – it’s not going to surprise you.  It’s how did you end up voicing the Elizabeth Line (until 2022 it was London’s buses).

So here’s the answer.

In 2005 I was going for a career change.  I wanted a lower profile, I’d done radio breakfast shows for the preceding 6 years and fancied a behind the scenes role in radio, rather than presenting.  I was looking for a radio programming job, but in the meantime I was freelancing in a few places, one of which was a company that did radio advertising and S&P for loads of clients, they were sort of like an advertising agency specialising in radio.  One day, someone from TfL was given the job of finding 10 voices to test for the new iBus system which was going to put voiced announcements on London’s whole fleet of buses.  Whoever this person was, they had in a previous job, dealt with the company I was working with so called up, explained what they were trying to do, and the person who answered the phone said ‘yeah we can help you get the voices’.  After the call, they turned to me and said ‘put your voice tape in’.  To be honest, I didn’t have one at the time, but I did have access to a studio, so I recorded a few mock bus announcements and sent them in.

And heard no more for months.

Until that person in passing said to me … ‘oh by the way, you’re the favourite’.

One other voice (male but I don’t know who) and I recorded bus Route 149.  And then in January 2006 they tested my voice on the route for 6 weeks, and loads of stakeholders were asked their opinion.

And from that came London Overground Trains (much recorded when I was about 38 weeks pregnant) … London Riverbus … and most recently the Elizabeth Line.

And from the buses job, I decided to build my own studio at home, and become a voiceover proper!

It was never on the plans … but an opportunity that has led to a career I love.