Marcus Bentley: The voice behind ‘Big Brother’

After a five-year break, Big Brother UK is back on television. Following the deconstruction of the 2018 house, the social experiment now has a new home on ITV with 16 new competitors, two new presenters  (AJ Odudo and Will Best), and an entirely new setup.

One thing that has remained the same however, is the man behind the iconic Big Brother voiceover.

Marcus Bentley has been the show’s narrator since its debut in 2000, following the show to Channel 5 after it was first axed from Channel 4, and now to its new home on ITV2,  to talk ITV viewers through each episode once again.

What work has Marcus Bentley worked on, other than Big Brother?

In spite of the fact that Bentley is most popular for his voiceover work, Marcus holds a drama degree from the East 15 Acting School and started his career as an actor in small on both screen and stage productions.

Upon graduating, Bentley utilized his Geordie accent, landing roles in adaptations of Catherine Cookson books set in Newcastle and County Durham. Marcus also appeared in a few episodes of Finney, London’s Burning and Mad Dogs.

The rest they say, is history – as Bentley then managed to secure himself the life-changing narration role on Big Brother UK. Bentley’s voice has also been featured on Have I Got News for You on BBC2, 8 Out of Ten Cats on Channel 4, and Ricky Gervais’ Extras.

An irreplaceable voice

Marcus has a deep, adaptable and ear-catching voice; which has in fact been described as “molten caramel”, by The Guardian.

“[My voice] is developing to this day, I’m always working on it, trying to make it fun and distinctive”

Through his work on Big Brother, Bentley’s distinctive Geordie accent has led to him becoming one of Britain’s most recognised voices – which is the absolute dream for any voice over artist!

Take a look at the video below, in which Bentley explains how he developed his voice style for Big Brother:

Upon the news that ITV were bringing back Big Brother UK to our televisions, there was some speculation that Bentley would not be returning to the show.

Fans were concerned that BB would not be the same without his voiceover work, as it plays such a huge part in the show. Thankfully, Bentley took to X (Twitter) to confirm his reprise:

Do you require a Geordie accented voice artist for a project of your own? We’re here to help.

Here at Matinée Multilingual, we have a vast database of talented voice artists who specialise in everything from explainer videos to interactive toys. Whichever language you require a voiceover in (we offer over 80!) and whatever your next project is, let us help you bring it to life with our expert voiceover services.

We’ll help you connect and engage with your audience with the perfect voiceover, all the way from offering a selection of hand-picked voice demos, to recording and editing the final audio file. Why not get in touch with us today and find out more about how we can help you?

Call us on +44 (0) 118 958 4934

Or email project@matinee.co.uk