The man behind the monotone voice of the speaking clock -- who is he? All is revealed in a portrait of Brian Cobby -- who also voiced the countdown in the TV show Thunderbirds. Cobby is sitting at his kitchen table in Brighton, surrounded by clutter, with a large clock on top of a TV set behind him. He took over from Pat Simmons as the first male voice of the speaking clock on 2 April 1985.

This is one of nine portraits taken by the photographer Laurie Fletcher, who wanted to put faces to some iconic but anonymous voices. The portraits are on display, accompanied by their familiar announcements.

The first portrait in her series was of Cobby, taken in 2006. "The sound of the voice and the look of the person are almost always different," Fletcher says. "But he was the most similar to his husky, theatrical voice. He is quite regal."

The exhibition, Sorry We Cannot Connect Your Call, is at Host, London EC1, to Friday 7th September (020-7253 2770; www.hostgallery.co.uk)

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