Alison Hammond has shared an insightful experience from her early career when she faced pressure to change her Birmingham accent.
During an episode of the Rosebud podcast, Alison revealed that while applying to ALRA, The Academy of Live & Recorded Arts in London, she was confronted with a suggestion to modify her distinctive Brummie accent.
Alison recounted the encounter, saying, "I applied for ALRA, The Academy of Live & Recorded Arts.
And when I went there, the woman said, You do realise we are going to have to modify your accent?" She further expressed her bewilderment, asking, "Modify? What does that even mean?"
The suggestion, as Alison clarified, revolved around the idea of adopting Received Pronunciation (RP), considered the standard form of British English.
In essence, they wanted her to speak in a manner different from her natural Brummie accent.
During her appearance on the Rosebud podcast, Alison firmly stated, "I just thought, I am not doing that, I'm not modifying my voice - I love my voice... I think my Birmingham accent is quite nice, though. It's not too in your face."
Hammond's journey to becoming a household name began with her appearance on Big Brother in 2002.
Since then, she has experienced a remarkable ascent in her career.