{"id":5125,"date":"2026-08-28T05:40:20","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T05:40:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/matt-lucas-and-hugh-bonneville-among-actors-calling-for-law-on-ai-voice-cloning\/"},"modified":"2026-08-28T05:40:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T05:40:20","slug":"matt-lucas-and-hugh-bonneville-among-actors-calling-for-law-on-ai-voice-cloning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/matt-lucas-and-hugh-bonneville-among-actors-calling-for-law-on-ai-voice-cloning\/","title":{"rendered":"Matt Lucas and Hugh Bonneville among actors calling for law on AI voice cloning"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Matt Lucas and Hugh Bonneville among actors calling for law on AI voice cloning<\/p>\n<div data-block=\"headline\" class=\"ssrcss-l7emlr-ComponentWrapper e1aon0op1\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-usmnse-Spacer e1aon0op0\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-block=\"image\" class=\"ssrcss-l7emlr-ComponentWrapper e1aon0op1\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-126h8e-Spacer e1aon0op0\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"ssrcss-1uy5kw5-FullWidthWrapper ep2nwvo1\">\n<figure class=\"ssrcss-hc6arm-StyledFigure e34k3c22\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-ab5fd8-StyledFigureContainer e34k3c21\"><span class=\"ssrcss-1pflr6j-Placeholder etlorgc0\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/240\/cpsprodpb\/0a34\/live\/922d2fb0-a234-11f1-a291-b542ee92de7c.jpg.webp 240w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/320\/cpsprodpb\/0a34\/live\/922d2fb0-a234-11f1-a291-b542ee92de7c.jpg.webp 320w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/480\/cpsprodpb\/0a34\/live\/922d2fb0-a234-11f1-a291-b542ee92de7c.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/624\/cpsprodpb\/0a34\/live\/922d2fb0-a234-11f1-a291-b542ee92de7c.jpg.webp 624w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/800\/cpsprodpb\/0a34\/live\/922d2fb0-a234-11f1-a291-b542ee92de7c.jpg.webp 800w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/976\/cpsprodpb\/0a34\/live\/922d2fb0-a234-11f1-a291-b542ee92de7c.jpg.webp 976w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A composite image of Matt Lucas and Hugh Bonneville\" src=\"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rpy9Yk.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/240\/cpsprodpb\/0a34\/live\/922d2fb0-a234-11f1-a291-b542ee92de7c.jpg 240w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/320\/cpsprodpb\/0a34\/live\/922d2fb0-a234-11f1-a291-b542ee92de7c.jpg 320w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/480\/cpsprodpb\/0a34\/live\/922d2fb0-a234-11f1-a291-b542ee92de7c.jpg 480w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/624\/cpsprodpb\/0a34\/live\/922d2fb0-a234-11f1-a291-b542ee92de7c.jpg 624w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/800\/cpsprodpb\/0a34\/live\/922d2fb0-a234-11f1-a291-b542ee92de7c.jpg 800w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/976\/cpsprodpb\/0a34\/live\/922d2fb0-a234-11f1-a291-b542ee92de7c.jpg 976w\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" class=\"ssrcss-egie1y-Image edrdn950\"><\/picture><\/span><span role=\"text\" class=\"ssrcss-tzgxt7-StyledFigureCopyright e34k3c20\">BBC \/ Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-block=\"byline\" class=\"ssrcss-vxwoax-ComponentWrapper e1aon0op1\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-126h8e-Spacer e1aon0op0\">\n<div data-testid=\"single-byline\" class=\"ssrcss-sevsa1-ContributorContainer ee66fvo3\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-dt4z-ContributorInfo ee66fvo0\"><span class=\"ssrcss-nsjd43-TextContributorName epw3ir01\">Tom Gerken<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-dqo7s5-ContributorDetails ee66fvo2\"><span class=\"ssrcss-1m5444d-Text ee66fvo4\">Technology reporter<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-block=\"metadata\" class=\"ssrcss-l7emlr-ComponentWrapper e1aon0op1\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-126h8e-Spacer e1aon0op0\">\n<div data-testid=\"metadata\">\n<div>\n<ul role=\"list\" class=\"ssrcss-9tw7r1-MetadataStripContainer eh44mf03\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-10q9h22-GroupChildrenForWrapping eh44mf02\">\n<li role=\"listitem\" class=\"ssrcss-sf7vdp-MetadataStripItem eh44mf01\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-m5j4pi-MetadataContent eh44mf00\"><span class=\"ssrcss-1pvwv4b-MetadataSnippet e4wm5bw3\"><span class=\"ssrcss-61mhsj-MetadataText e4wm5bw1\"><time data-testid=\"timestamp\" datetime=\"2026-08-28T05:11:16.016Z\">7 minutes ago<\/time><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/div>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-block=\"text\" class=\"ssrcss-vxwoax-ComponentWrapper e1aon0op1\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-126h8e-Spacer e1aon0op0\">\n<div data-testid=\"rich-text\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-nqezkk-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\"><b class=\"ssrcss-1xjjfut-BoldText e5tfeyi3\">Actors including Matt Lucas, Hugh Bonneville and Nicola Coughlan have written to the UK government demanding greater protection against their voices being used by AI.<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">The performers are asking Prime Minister Andy Burnham to introduce legislation which would give every person in the UK a legal right to own their voice.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Voice clones are created by training AI on recordings of real people. Quick versions can be made in minutes from a few seconds of audio, but high-quality copycats tend to require hours.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Audiobook narrator Alice Sockett, who co-founded the campaign, called it &#8220;an existential threat to our entire industry&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;My voice is out there in the public domain but completely unprotected,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;We&#8217;re seeing voice theft increase every week.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">A government spokesperson told the BBC that, while &#8220;digital replicas can be a powerful tool, including for the creative industries,&#8221; there was also possibility for harm.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;We value and protect human creators, and that is why we have announced we will launch a consultation on how we address these harms, while protecting legitimate innovation&#8221;, the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-block=\"subheadline\" class=\"ssrcss-vxwoax-ComponentWrapper e1aon0op1\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-usmnse-Spacer e1aon0op0\">\n<div data-testid=\"subheadline\">\n<h2 id=\"Human-connection\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"ssrcss-1sc9t00-Heading e10rt3ze0\"><span role=\"text\">Human connection<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-block=\"text\" class=\"ssrcss-vxwoax-ComponentWrapper e1aon0op1\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-126h8e-Spacer e1aon0op0\">\n<div data-testid=\"rich-text\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-nqezkk-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">More than 80 performers have signed the letter, with Derry Girls actor Siobh\u00e1n McSweeney saying she was &#8220;deeply worried&#8221; that the government was lagging behind.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;There is a way to work alongside AI and to use it as a tool that benefits us rather than rendering us obsolete,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;Our audiences want that human connection. Not AI.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">As well as actors, other signatories include those working in other performing industries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">That includes Scottish singer Sandi Thom, known for her 2006 hit I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair).<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">She said she was signing the letter because her voice was &#8220;unique to me and was handed to me at birth&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;Behind that voice is the emotion, the life, the pain, the tears and joy that I&#8217;ve felt along the way,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;Without creativity, we are nothing.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">It comes a few months after lawyers warned UK legislation has become &#8220;unfit for purpose&#8221; because of the advancements of AI tech.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;The law comes close, but it doesn&#8217;t fully protect your voice, your face or your identity,&#8221; Dr Mathilde Pavis said in June.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">However, some people &#8211; for example those who are unable so speak properly because of illness &#8211; have welcomed technology that can replicate a person&#8217;s voice.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Yvonne Johnson, who lost her voice due to motor neurone disease, told the BBC&#8217;s Tech Life programme in February how having it cloned by AI had &#8220;totally blown her mind&#8221;, and brought her closer to her family, who had forgotten what she sounded like.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Others have gone a step further and used AI not only to replicate a person&#8217;s voice, but to create a holographic representation of them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Pam Cronrath, from Washington state, used the tech to surprise mourners at her husband&#8217;s funeral, where a digital version of her deceased partner addressed those who attended his wake.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;I was completely impressed,&#8221; she told BBC News. &#8220;It stayed with me.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-block=\"links\" class=\"ssrcss-vxwoax-ComponentWrapper e1aon0op1\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-126h8e-Spacer e1aon0op0\">\n<div spacing=\"4\" class=\"ssrcss-1gccci3-Stack e1y4nx260\">\n<ul role=\"list\" spacing=\"2\" class=\"ssrcss-94r6ik-Stack e1y4nx260\">\n<li class=\"ssrcss-qzx51b-LinkItem e3eyuya1\">\n<div spacing=\"4\" class=\"ssrcss-1gccci3-Stack e1y4nx260\"><span><\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-7zrqh4-LinkHeadline e3eyuya4\"><span aria-hidden=\"false\">What is AI and how does it work?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1ulytiq-LinkIconContainer e3eyuya3\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" width=\"1em\" height=\"1em\" class=\"ssrcss-xi5oyi-StyledIcon e161cein1\" focusable=\"false\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M21.6 14.3 5.5 31h6.4l14.6-15L11.9 1H5.5l16.1 16.7z\" \/><\/svg><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"ssrcss-qzx51b-LinkItem e3eyuya1\">\n<div spacing=\"4\" class=\"ssrcss-1gccci3-Stack e1y4nx260\"><span><\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-7zrqh4-LinkHeadline e3eyuya4\"><span aria-hidden=\"false\">AI gold rush draws crypto firms away from Bitcoin<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1ulytiq-LinkIconContainer e3eyuya3\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" width=\"1em\" height=\"1em\" class=\"ssrcss-xi5oyi-StyledIcon e161cein1\" focusable=\"false\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M21.6 14.3 5.5 31h6.4l14.6-15L11.9 1H5.5l16.1 16.7z\" \/><\/svg><\/div>\n<div>\n<ul role=\"list\" class=\"ssrcss-9tw7r1-MetadataStripContainer eh44mf03\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-10q9h22-GroupChildrenForWrapping eh44mf02\">\n<li role=\"listitem\" class=\"ssrcss-sf7vdp-MetadataStripItem eh44mf01\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-m5j4pi-MetadataContent eh44mf00\"><span class=\"ssrcss-1pvwv4b-MetadataSnippet e4wm5bw3\"><span class=\"ssrcss-61mhsj-MetadataText e4wm5bw1\">2 days ago<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/div>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-block=\"image\" class=\"ssrcss-l7emlr-ComponentWrapper e1aon0op1\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-126h8e-Spacer e1aon0op0\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"ssrcss-1uy5kw5-FullWidthWrapper ep2nwvo1\">\n<figure class=\"ssrcss-hc6arm-StyledFigure e34k3c22\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-ab5fd8-StyledFigureContainer e34k3c21\"><span class=\"ssrcss-ngxed1-Placeholder etlorgc0\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/240\/cpsprodpb\/41d3\/live\/348b21e0-26a8-11f0-8f57-b7237f6a66e6.png.webp 240w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/320\/cpsprodpb\/41d3\/live\/348b21e0-26a8-11f0-8f57-b7237f6a66e6.png.webp 320w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/480\/cpsprodpb\/41d3\/live\/348b21e0-26a8-11f0-8f57-b7237f6a66e6.png.webp 480w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/624\/cpsprodpb\/41d3\/live\/348b21e0-26a8-11f0-8f57-b7237f6a66e6.png.webp 624w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/800\/cpsprodpb\/41d3\/live\/348b21e0-26a8-11f0-8f57-b7237f6a66e6.png.webp 800w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/976\/cpsprodpb\/41d3\/live\/348b21e0-26a8-11f0-8f57-b7237f6a66e6.png.webp 976w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A green promotional banner with black squares and rectangles forming pixels, moving in from the right. The text says: \u201cTech Decoded: The world\u2019s biggest tech news in your inbox every Monday.\u201d\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/v62GNP.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/240\/cpsprodpb\/41d3\/live\/348b21e0-26a8-11f0-8f57-b7237f6a66e6.png 240w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/320\/cpsprodpb\/41d3\/live\/348b21e0-26a8-11f0-8f57-b7237f6a66e6.png 320w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/480\/cpsprodpb\/41d3\/live\/348b21e0-26a8-11f0-8f57-b7237f6a66e6.png 480w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/624\/cpsprodpb\/41d3\/live\/348b21e0-26a8-11f0-8f57-b7237f6a66e6.png 624w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/800\/cpsprodpb\/41d3\/live\/348b21e0-26a8-11f0-8f57-b7237f6a66e6.png 800w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/976\/cpsprodpb\/41d3\/live\/348b21e0-26a8-11f0-8f57-b7237f6a66e6.png 976w\" width=\"1600\" height=\"263\" class=\"ssrcss-egie1y-Image edrdn950\"><\/picture><\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-block=\"text\" class=\"ssrcss-vxwoax-ComponentWrapper e1aon0op1\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-126h8e-Spacer e1aon0op0\">\n<div data-testid=\"rich-text\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-nqezkk-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Sign up for our Tech Decoded newsletter to follow the world&#8217;s top tech stories and trends. Outside the UK? Sign up here.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-block=\"topicList\" class=\"ssrcss-vxwoax-ComponentWrapper e1aon0op1\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-tcr9z1-Spacer e1aon0op0\">\n<div data-testid=\"topic-list\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-nj9heb-StyledTagContainer ed0g1kj1\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1pfbb52-TopicListHeaderWrapper etw6iwl0\">\n<h2 type=\"normal\" class=\"ssrcss-89o2pv-Heading e10rt3ze0\">Related topics<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-17ehax8-Cluster e1ihwmse1\">\n<ul role=\"list\" spacing=\"2\" class=\"ssrcss-w8zanw-ClusterItems e1ihwmse0\">\n<li>Acting<\/li>\n<li>Copyright<\/li>\n<li>Artificial intelligence<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Published at Fri, 28 Aug 2026 05:11:16 +0000<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Matt Lucas and Hugh Bonneville among actors calling for law on AI voice cloning BBC \/ Getty Images Tom Gerken Technology reporter 7 minutes ago Actors including Matt Lucas, Hugh Bonneville and Nicola Coughlan have written to the UK government demanding greater protection against their voices being used by AI. The performers are asking Prime&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/matt-lucas-and-hugh-bonneville-among-actors-calling-for-law-on-ai-voice-cloning\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Matt Lucas and Hugh Bonneville among actors calling for law on AI voice cloning<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5124,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5125","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5125","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5125"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5125\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5124"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5125"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5125"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5125"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}