You may have heard local actress and voice-over artist Tegwen Tucker before, but never realised it. She’s the continuity announcer for the digital TV channel BBC FOUR. And she can also be heard playing many of the voices in the kid’s TV show Fireman Sam.
Continuing our series of articles inspired by the What Are You Like? exhibition at Dulwich Picture Gallery, Tegwen tells us what she’s like:
Favourite animal
If I had the space I’d get a dog. No little handbag dog, though – the rough and tumble kind, the working kind. A collie, a retriever or a spaniel or some such – but it’s just not feasible in our 2 bed flat, sadly. I’m also a huge fan of wombats, they’re brilliant.
Book
My favourite book changes quite a lot! But, in a Desert Island Discs kind of way, where the Bible and the Complete Works of Shakespeare are a given, I’d be torn between Pride and Prejudice (I know, how awfully cheesy!) and The Great Gatsby. Although I’ve been reading some Ian McEwan lately and I’m keen to read more, it’s great stuff.
Clothes
My single favourite item of clothing would be my yoga trousers. They’re ridiculously comfortable, and I love what they represent – I love being in touch with my body and being aware of it, which yoga helps me with. In general, though, I love interesting clothes – coats with big collars, jumpers with an odd rib, that kind of thing. I make my own clothes from time to time, and love that if I can work out how to do it, then I can have it; not something you can say very often on the high-street!
Comfort
I’m very big on cuddles. I’m a very tactile person and, to me, a hug means a lot more than words.
Food
Seafood. I love seafood. All seafood. But especially oysters. I find they taste so clean, so fresh, so restorative. I’m very sad that the oyster stall closed in the indoor market on Zenoria Street, East Dulwich as I could quite happily spend all day there browsing the gorgeous stalls and munching away on oysters. I can still kill far too much time salivating over the selection in Moxon’s – although I’m yet to attempt to cook a razor clam, they scare me a bit!
Pastime
I absolutely love to cook, especially for other people. I’m a bit of a chaotic cook; I’m not known for my propensity for following a recipe, but I like to think the results come out OK! What I really should say, though, is that I love to run, given that I’m running the Flora London Marathon for the Prostate Cancer Charity in April next year.
Place
My paternal grandparents are from (and still live in) the Gower Peninsula, south Wales, and I think that that has to be the most beautiful place in all the world. Off these isles, I’d have to go with the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia.
Possession
I’m not terribly excitable about many of my possessions – I do love my Clavinova though, and also my Vespa which is invaluable for getting round town as a freelancer! I think my most precious things would have to be my engagement and wedding rings, although again it’s what they symbolise more than the rings themselves.
Music
I lead the gospel choir at All Saints in Peckham, and I do love a bit of gospel (especially the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir). That, and all our Christmas songs we do for the annual Carols by Candlelight service tend to make me go a bit fuzzy inside. In truth, though, although I love a bit of swing (Frank, Ella etc) I’m a bit of an indie kid at heart; I’m currently listening a lot to the most recent Killers and Coldplay albums.
Shoes
I know they’re so last season, darling, but I love my Ugg boots. So comfy and warm. And this summer I invested (!) in a pair of Birkenstock flip flops, and they’re like walking on air.
Weather
I actually just love extremes of weather. Very hot, very cold, very wet, very windy – all brilliant. My favourite, though, has to be the very, very cold, preferably with snow. Having grown up in the tropics, this is still a bit of a novelty for me, and I love it. My one proviso is that I’m wrapped up warm!!
Pet aversion
I was going to be all deep at this point and say selfishness, stinginess, arrogance – but actually, I’m just going to say celery. It’s sick and wrong and there is no place for it in my world.
If you want to sponsor Tegwen when she runs the marathon next year, you can do it here.
You can hear Tegwen every night from 7pm on BBC Four.
What Are You Like is open at the Gallery until 18 January.
