Is Nigel Bickleworth voiced by Frasier's Gil Chesterton?!

[mrjvoorhees]

I love Sir Nigel Bickleworth's DJ voiceovers; his voice and accent sound remarkably like Frasier actor Edward Hibbert, who played the delightful Gil Chesterton.

I know the devs love their top-tier cultural references (e.g. Charlie work, Freddie Mercury), so I'm positive that, even if this isn't Edward Hibbert, Sir Nigel was definitely inspired by Gil Chesterton (who, of course, also worked in radio).

Just one more reason for me to love this game, as Frasier is the best American sitcom of all time IMO.

[Silvius]

"top-tier" cultural references? Really?

Anyways, it's not Edward Hibbert but a voice actor they worked with in another game. They initially wanted Steve Coogan, because they thought his character of Partridge (who started as a 'hospital radio DJ') and humour would be perfect for this. However, he didn't have the time (or didn't like the idea) and eventually they completely rewrote the DJ-idea, but it appears they used the Sir Nigel Bickleworth character for a lot of stuff they thought would be great for Alan Partridge.

If you're a fan of Frasier, then I wouldn't be surprised if you'd like Alan Partridge too. Since the character is also comically pompous, inept and with hubris. Has mostly English cultural references though.

[mrjvoorhees]

Originally posted by Silvius:

"top-tier" cultural references? Really?

Anyways, it's not Edward Hibbert but a voice actor they worked with in another game. They initially wanted Steve Coogan, because they thought his character of Partridge (who started as a 'hospital radio DJ') and humour would be perfect for this. However, he didn't have the time (or didn't like the idea) and eventually they completely rewrote the DJ-idea, but it appears they used the Sir Nigel Bickleworth character for a lot of stuff they thought would be great for Alan Partridge.

If you're a fan of Frasier, then I wouldn't be surprised if you'd like Alan Partridge too. Since the character is also comically pompous, inept and with hubris. Has mostly English cultural references though.

I'm English myself and already a big Alan Partridge fan... interesting that you would assume otherwise. I'm interested to know what it was about my original post that suggested I might not have been either English or an AP fan already?

And yes, I use the term "top-tier" earnestly and unironically. What about that makes you hesitate? Frasier is widely regarded as one of the best sitcoms... I qualified it in my original post by saying "American sitcoms", as there are many British sitcoms that rival it in terms of intelligence. The "Charlie work" reference, too, is pretty top-tier in the sense that the show to which it refers - It's Alway Sunny in Philadelphia - is very clever but not entirely mainstream.

But I digress. Thanks for the insight about the voice acting. I'd be interested to know where you found that out? And I realised after playing some more that it wasn't Edward Hibbert, more's the pity.

[Silvius]

Originally posted by mrjvoorhees:

I'm English myself and already a big Alan Partridge fan... interesting that you would assume otherwise. I'm interested to know what it was about my original post that suggested I might not have been either English or an AP fan already?

And yes, I use the term "top-tier" earnestly and unironically. What about that makes you hesitate? Frasier is widely regarded as one of the best sitcoms... I qualified it in my original post by saying "American sitcoms", as there are many British sitcoms (e.g. Fawlty Towers) that surpass it. But that doesn't mean Frasier isn't a genius show. The reference to "Charlie work" is also from one of America's finest and longest-running intelligent sitcoms, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

What do you consider top-tier, if not Alan Partridge, Fawlty Towers, Frasier or Sunny?

In any case, thanks for the insight about the voice acting. I'd be interested to know where you found that out? And I realised soon after posting this that it wasn't Edward Hibbert, more's the pity.

This is like giving someone a movie recommendation and he replies: "why would you assume I didn't know about this movie!?" when you expect a 'normal': "yeah, I saw it and think it's great/garbage".

First of all, most of Steam's population isn't from England. Second; even in England itself there are people who don't know Alan Partridge. Because of this, I could very well ask you how I should guess that you did? The reason why I mentioned the English cultural references, is because it's crucial to understand a lot of the humour of the character. Not everyone can appreciate a parody of British TV or -personalities, again, even in England itself. If you're one of many who are not into that 'subgenre' you don't have to waste time enduring it. That's all.

As for the earnest and unironical use of the word 'top-tier': I thought you used top-tier as a subjective term for the quality of the references. Not only sounds it a bit off ('top class' is a term close to it that I usually hear), but using specifically top-tier there made it comical because now it seems it applies to 'culture'. When culture is used with adjectives on the scale from 'high' to 'low' - it referes to the 'class of people' that admire that culture. Now, not only would 'sit-com'- and 'Freddy Mercury' not fall into the 'high culture'-category; they ironically fall in the 'mass culture'-category, which is the very category that is being derogated and distantiated from when people use the term 'high culture'.
So I thought it was an unlucky use of an adjective or maybe even a typo; and with my remark I wanted to point out the irony of the honest misfortune. But now after you said you're using it earnestly and unironically I'm not so sure you saw it... or worse: not only use the term 'high culture' without sarcasm, but actually are convinced subjects like sit-coms and Queen fall into that category.

Finally, it were the developers themselves who told this about Alan Partridge when they talked about the game. I would like to say it was in an interview, but heaven forbid I don't want to seem like I assumed you didn't guess that or weren't able to use Google by now.