Actors including Hugh Bonneville, Nicola Coughlan, and Matt Lucas back Save Our Voices Now — an open letter and government petition calling on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to make a person's voice a protected statutory right, as campaigners warn voices can now be cloned from three seconds of audio.
On August 28, 2026, more than 80 UK performers — including Hugh Bonneville, Nicola Coughlan, Matt Lucas, Siobhán McSweeney, Luke Evans, Jen Brister, Pearl Mackie, and Niamh Cusack — threw their weight behind Save Our Voices Now, a campaign demanding legislation against AI voice cloning. The group has sent an open letter to UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham and launched a petition on gov.uk asking for every person in Britain to be given ownership of their voice as part of their statutory rights, similar to protections that already exist for a person's name or image.
The campaign was co-founded by audiobook narrator Alice Sockett, who described unauthorized voice cloning as 'an existential threat to our entire industry.' Founder Peter Caulfield put the scale of the risk bluntly: 'In just three seconds, with the right AI system, your voice can be cloned, stolen and reinterpreted without your knowledge. This isn't fiction. It's happening right now.' He added that 'the government is allowing AI companies to steal and profit from artists' voices without their consent,' while allowing criminals to use AI to clone people's identities and threaten everyone.
The performers' case rests on identity as much as economics. Bonneville wrote — by hand, as he pointedly noted, 'not created by AI' — that 'my voice is unique, it's mine, it's part of my identity. So is yours. That's worth speaking up about.' McSweeney said artists' rights 'are not being considered or protected as quickly as AI technology is progressing,' calling the problem existential, arguing 'our audiences want that human connection. Not AI,' and concluding 'my voice is one of my tools.' Campaigners point to Denmark, which is bringing in legislation giving citizens legal ownership over their own face, body, and voice, including the right to demand removal of unauthorized AI content and seek compensation.
The campaign lands amid a split in the entertainment industry over voice AI. Variety noted that 'The Simpsons' star Harry Shearer has consulted lawyers about protecting his voice after his death, while Gene Wilder's estate recently blessed the recreation of the late actor's voice to narrate a Netflix 'Willy Wonka' reality series. In Ireland, Equity Ireland president Gerry O'Brien said the issue is a growing concern for actors who rely on advertising voiceovers for a significant part of their income, recounting a member who was congratulated for a television voiceover they had never recorded. With Denmark cited as the legislative model and a government petition now live, the campaign tests whether a statutory voice right becomes the standard response across Europe.
