ONE OF OUR first visitors at the Idler Academy, when we opened our doors in March 2011, was a well-spoken chap with a little dog. His name was Sir Timothy Ackroyd, he was an actor, and he had one of the most beautiful speaking voices we’d heard. He was also extremely amusing and had us all in stitches within a few minutes. To boot, he was hugely supportive of what we were trying to do with our quirky, convivial school for adults.

After four years of cajoling and persuading we got Sir Tim to run an elocution course. Tim had already enjoyed great success with his private pupils, foreign professionals living in London who wanted to improve their English accent.

They were in good hands: Sir John Gielgud said of Sir Tim: “He is blessed with the most beautiful English speaking voice.”

His live course at the Academy, where he teaches the voice techniques that are used at stage school, is a huge hit, and his pupils rave about it.

We decided to film an online version so our global customers, from Kabul to Hyderabad and from Little Rock, Arkansas to Singapore, can enjoy it.

Idler members enjoy a 30% discount on this course into perpetuity, and our mailbag list subscribers have just received a 50% discount code, valid till Friday. We’ll be sending this code out again on Thursday 19 March. You may join our mailing list above or join as a member on the right.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT SIR TIM’S ONLINE ELOCUTION COURSE