Meet the Hebburn man who is the on-board voice of the Tyne and Wear Metro

Nexus, the travel operator of the Tyne and Wear Metro, have unveiled the man behind the service’s on-board announcements for the first time.

Mark Bryant, who is a professional voiceover artist, has been recording the Metro’s automatic announcements for 15 years.

His voice is broadcast daily on the trains across the Tyne and Wear Metro network, providing essential information and station names for thousands of travellers each day.

Up until this week, it has only been Mark’s friends and family that have known it is him.

After more than a decade in the role, Mark, who is from Hebburn, has stepped into the limelight to reveal his quirky claim to fame.

He has given an insight into what it is like being the voice of the Metro and revealed this excitement to be voicing the announcement on the service’s new fleet of trains.

The 46-year-old said: “I always say that it’s my greatest claim to fame. It’s quite funny being sat on the Metro and hearing yourself telling yourself what the next stop is going to be.

“I’ll be sat there next to other customers and nobody will have any inkling that it’s me that they’re listening to.

“Doing this job for the Metro is absolutely fantastic. I really enjoy it and I’m proud to be the voice of such an important local service.

“All my family and friends know that it’s me, of course, and it’s a frequent talking point.

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“My nephew even used it as a fun fact on a work away day and nobody believed him.

“When I go out and tell people that I do the Metro voiceovers they usually don’t believe me, until I actually do the voice.

“I always get asked to say the lines from the Metro announcements. I don’t actually mind. It’s a great bit of fun.

“I’m excited to be voicing the announcements on the new Metro trains. They are so impressive. The technology, including the audio system, is amazing. To be the voice of these new trains is a real coup for me.

“When the first new train went into customer service I watched the coverage on the local news and I could hear my announcements in the background.

“It was a proud moment.”

Mark’s journey into the world of voiceover work started by producing adverts in local radio. He toned his voiceover skills, which led to him setting up his own company, which is based at the Northern Design Centre, in Gateshead.

Alongside being the voice of the Metro, is body of work also includes adverts for Tom Jones, Robbie Williams and Bryan Adams concerts along with scores of other TV and radio ads.

Voiceover work runs in Mark’s family, with his wife Amanda also being a professional voiceover artist.

His seven-year-old son, William, was even nominated for best male performance at The One Voice Awards in 2024.

Mark added: “I started out by setting up my own voiceover booth at home and then compiled a demo that I put on my website.

“I then started to get voiceover work and it all went from there.

“I began working with Nexus in 2010 when I supplied the audio recordings for the new ticket machines.

“That went well and I then became the voice of the train’s on-board system, telling customers what the next station is.

“Voiceover work is a real family affair. My wife, Amanda, is a voiceover artist and is currently the voice of Tyne Tunnel and is also doing work for Sky Sports and ITV.

“My son, William, who is seven, is currently the voice of Blueline Taxi’s radio adverts. He recorded his first voiceover at the age of four.”

You can find out more information about Mark’s company by visiting: https://mediapartnership.co.uk/.