PETER HITCHENS: Plummy voices like mine are dying out and I think we may be losing something important
Snobbery has been a terrible curse in this country. And if the toning down of accents helps to get rid of snobbery, then that is a good thing. But we might also be losing something important.
- Curious about how Peter's voice has changed over the years? Read more here
By PETER HITCHENS, COLUMNIST AND COMMENTATOR
Published: 07:24 GMT, 10 January 2026 | Updated: 08:29 GMT, 10 January 2026
Snobbery has been a terrible curse in this country. And if the toning down of accents helps to get rid of snobbery, then that is a good thing.
But we might also be losing something important. There is a beauty and depth in the RP accent, whether it is someone reading the news or playing Hamlet on the stage.
I can see why some people resent plummy English voices like mine, but we’ll be sorry when they are no longer heard.
Click above to watch the video in full.