Great British audiobook narrators have become renowned around the world for their ability to bring any story to life through their skilled voices alone. There are a few key reasons why British narrators tend to excel in the audiobook world.
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Firstly, extensive stage training is far more commonplace in the UK. Most aspiring actors in Britain will have undertaken years of classical theater studies from a young age, learning techniques in voice projection, expression, pacing and dialects. This rigorous training in voice and performance lays the groundwork for successful audiobook narration. British narrators have learned to convey sophisticated emotion, character development and intricate plots through voice alone – a skill directly transferable to the audiobook studio.
Secondly, British stage training emphasizes versatility. Actors in England are expected to master a wide array of period-appropriate accents and roles across different time periods and genres. This exposes them to varied styles of speech, characterization and storytelling from an early career point. When bringing any new book to life, British narrators can rely on this extensive background knowledge to authentically inhabit the world of the story, regardless of its setting or genre.
Finally, working on stage hones an actor’s ability to keep listeners engaged through vocal performance alone. Without visuals to support them, British narrators learned from an early age to captivate audiences using just their voice, pacing, expression and character defines. This invaluable skill translates perfectly to the audiobook format.
We will introduce you to 32 of the most talented British narrators working in audiobooks today. From novels to biographies, mysteries to memoirs, their voices will transport you to ever more immersive worlds between the pages of any book.
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British Audiobook Narrators List
As with all of our lists, we do not put them in any specific order. Who we consider top notch, may actually be the last person you want to listen to… In making this list of English narrators, we were really surprised how many of the narrators were multiple threats (stage, screen, print and sound). Here is our big list of great audiobook narrators. Enjoy and share with your friends!
Sources Used for British Audiobook Narrators List
There are a lot of wonderful sources to compile lists from, and we chose narrators that had high reviews and/or did iconic work. Some of the sources we used are: Reddit, Audible and Wikipedia.
1. Simon Vance
Pretty sure Simon Vance has won just about every audiobook narration award possible. Not a bad narration career, from someone who read Winnie the Pooh as their first project at the age of six.
Must Listen:
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2. Stephen Fry
We all know and have listened to Stephen Fry in a variety of mediums (he stays pretty busy), but my favorite has to be him narrating ghost stories. Yeah, a little spooky, a lot cool…
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
3. Robert Glenister
Robert Glenister is a British narrator and actor, and has been in numerous TV shows and movies. This is the top Amazon pick for Robert, and it is the latest in Strike private detective series.
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
4. Paul Thornley
Paul Thornley is a British stage actor who also does audiobook narrations. His primary genre is military fiction and thrillers.
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
5. Lesley Manville
Quite a prolific actress, Lesley Manville also narrates murder mysteries. This audiobook has an amazing 140,000+ reviews !
Must Listen:
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6. Claire Foy
Her best performance, in my opinion, was as young Queen Elizabeth. Off screen, she narrates thrillers and mysteries.
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
7. Gugu Mbatha-Raw
British stage and screen actress who also does audiobook narration (seems to be a theme). Primarily narrates thrillers.
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
8. Billie Piper
From the youngest British singer to hit the top of the charts, to acting in Dr. Who, Billie Piper has done a lot in a relatively short time. Here, she narrates a kid’s adventure story written by Tom Huddleston.
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
9. Florence Pugh
I know she has done a lot of high-brow stuff, but I still loved her as Natasha Romanoff’s sister in Black Widow.
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
10. Emma Thompson
As I have said in other narrator lists, I am a sucker for listening to someone tell their own life story in their voice. We all know how much Emma Thompson has done across the entertainment field, and in this memoir she tells her story. Awesome !
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
11. Fiona Hardingham
Fiona Hardingham has been nominated for numerous awards, and is a well-recognized British narrator. She narrates across a wide variety of genres.
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
12. Richard Armitage
Most people probably recognize him from his role of the dwarf king in The Hobbit, but his rich baritone voice lends well to narration. His scope of narration work covers a wide gamut. His narration of Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is amazing.
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
13. Adjoa Andoh
If there is a British stage she hasn’t been on, you would be hard pressed to find it. Her great voice really brings to life the wide variety of stories she narrates.
Must Listen:
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14. John Rafter Lee
British stage and screen actor who narrates mystery and thriller audiobooks.
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
15. Juliet Stevenson
Juliet Stevenson is an award winning actress, and Wuthering Heights is the premier English novel.
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
16. Chukwudi Iwuji
Nigerian born British actor Chukwudi Iwuji is known for some big name Hollywood blockbuster franchises (John Wick and Guardians of the Galaxy), but this story is rich with details from his childhood in Nigeria.
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
17. Simon Prebble
It seems like all of these British entertainers do a vairety of things, all very well, too !
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
18. Antonia Beamish
British actress and narrator that does a variety of narration types, she does a lot of thriller and mystery type novel narrations.
Must Listen:
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19. Jennifer Kirby
Another Royal Shakespeare Company actress who has branched into audiobook narration.
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
20. Finty Williams
British narrator who usually does historical fantasy fiction narration.
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
21. Steve West
British actor and narrator, Steve West does a wide stretch of narration types. This one is the highest rated audiobook on sleep problems, disorders and how to fix them.
Must Listen:
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22. Moira Quirk
Primarily a fantasy fiction audiobook narrator, Moira Quirk has been in her share of well-known movie series and has garnered numerous awards.
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
23. Richard Briers
Richard Brier was a legend in British entertainment with a five decade career spanning all types of entertainment mediums. Award winning and greatly missed.
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
24. Michael Hordern
With over 140 films to his career, there is a lot to cover. I think it is special when a grandfatherly type reads children’s stories. It is a real treat.
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
25. Rosalyn Landor
Another multiple medium British entertainer, Rosalyn Landor is most known in the audiobook world as a romance audiobook narrator.
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
26. Nathaniel Parker
Another stage, screen and audiobook narrator of British ancestry. They are all immensely talented, but there really must be something in the tea !
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
27. Ralph Cosham
Primarily, Ralph Cosham was a classic fiction, thriller and mystery narrator.
Must Listen:
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28. Peter Kenny
Peter Kenny narrates mythical fantasy fiction audiobooks.
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
29. Gemma Whelan
When she isn’t doing George R.R. Martin’s epic GoT movies, Gemma Whelan narrates a variety of science fiction and mystery thrillers.
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
30. Helen Lloyd
She narrates historical romance fiction audiobooks.
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
31. Samantha Bond
Sure, Samantha Bond was Miss Moneypence to Pierce Brosnan’s 007… sure she was in the uber-famous English TV show Downton Abbey, but she also is a pretty darned good narrator, too !
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
32. Penelope Keith
British stage and screen actress, Penelope Keith also voiced the narrations for many mystery series.
Must Listen:
Get audiobook here.
Conclusion: List of British Audiobook Narrators
I have to admit I was a little surprised researching this list. So many of the people on this list are multiple threats – on the stage, on the small screen and large screen, and as narrators for stories. It must be something in the stage training. Did I get your favorite British audiobook narrator? If I didn’t, feel free to drop a line to us in the contact form below. Have a wonderful day !
Affiliate Disclosure: We may be compensated for qualified purchases from links in this article, at no cost to you. Thank you ! You can read full disclosure, here.
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Katy B. Rutland
My name is Katy, and storytelling is pretty much my jam. Snuggling up with a good book and escaping into a thrilling movie has been my addiction since I was a little kid. I studied English Lit in college which was literally heaven for a word nerd like me. Since graduating I've focused my passion and energy on writing my own novels and screenplays.