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Actor and radio presenter Joe Sims argued his case for the accent(Image: Bristol Post)<\/p>\n“This is the victory Bristol needs”Actor and radio presenter Joe Sims argued his case for the accent(Image: Bristol Post)<\/p>\n
The Bristol accent has regularly sparked something of a debate over the years, from being ranked as the most trustworthy, sexiest, nicest or worst regional accent. But now it has gained a new accolade – it\u2019s been inducted into an unofficial \u2018UNESCO list of the world\u2019s greatest accents\u2019.<\/p>\n
The Bristol burr – or more specifically the Knowle<\/a> West accent – was selected for the list being compiled by comedians and presenters Ellis James and John Robins, on their BBC<\/a> podcast of the same name.<\/p>\n It came through a rigorous vetting process up against the Glaswegian accent, which involved the podcast hosts chatting to someone from Glasgow and someone from Bristol – and that person was Broadchurch actor, BBC Radio Bristol breakfast presenter and professional Bristolian Joe Sims.<\/p>\n Each week on their show, the two comedians put two accents up against each other and select one for their unofficial list of the world\u2019s greatest accents, and specifically wanted the Knowle West accent to be part of their selection process.<\/p>\n They met something of a problem, however, and couldn\u2019t find someone with a Knowle West accent to take part. \u201cWe found out that Knowle West was very hard to source,\u201d said John, with Ellis citing Bristol and England rugby star Ellis Genge and music legend Tricky as being potential candidates.<\/p>\n Joe Sims, who is originally from the South Gloucestershire<\/a> part of Bristol and not even from South Bristol, said he would have to do because he now lives in Knowle. \u201cThat\u2019s the thing, Ellis Genge is playing for the Lions so he\u2019s going to be busy. Tricky once produced an album called \u2018All the Best from Knowle West\u2019, which is a brilliant name for an album, but I\u2019m afraid you\u2019ll have to make do with me, who lives just across the road in humble Knowle,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n John Robins, who was born and raised in Thornbury<\/a> but has largely lost any West Country accent he had, highlighted that the Bristol accent is under-represented in the media<\/a>, politics and national public life. \u201cWe don\u2019t hear much of the Bristol accent on our media,\u201d he said, asking Joe Sims if he has to mask his accent to get acting, presenting or voiceover work.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Masked Singer presenter Joel Dommett ‘got rid of thick Bristol accent to be successful’<\/a>READ MORE: From Siannise Fudge to Ellis Genge – why does hearing a Bristolian voice on TV shock people?<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a bit of both,\u201d replied Joe. \u201cI think I would be ploughing a bit of a narrow furrow if I was just doing my native brogue. It\u2019s interesting that, because we don\u2019t hear it so often, the people hear my accent and they don\u2019t believe that it\u2019s legit.<\/p>\n \u201cI presented Sarah Beeny\u2019s New Life in the Country, and the amount of people who were going \u2018no one from the West Country sounds like that\u2019 and I thought \u2018well if you heard me, you should hear me dad, his is even worse,\u201d Joe added.<\/p>\n
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John Robins, left, and Ellis James, right, have a popular BBC podcast(Image: BBC)<\/p>\n