Entertainment · Celebrity · 2 days ago
Royal Mail confirms AI voiceover in advert sounded like late narrator Paul Vaughan
Royal Mail has confirmed that an AI-generated voiceover was used in its Christmas advert aired in November 2025.
Lucy, daughter of British narrator Paul Vaughan, says the voice sounded like her father, who died in 2014 aged 89.
Vaughan was known for narrating BBC programmes and the Paddington audiobooks.
Royal Mail says the voice was made using prompts and was not intended to imitate a specific person.
The company says its production partners checked for resemblance concerns and did not identify any.
Vaughan’s daughter says he would have opposed AI taking work from human voice artists.
AI company ElevenLabs and Fameplay deny that the advert used a direct clone of Vaughan’s voice.
ElevenLabs has reportedly added his voice to a list that prevents it from being directly cloned through its platform in future.
Royal Mail confirmed that an AI-generated voiceover was used in its Christmas advert aired last year.
The daughter of late narrator Paul Vaughan said the voice sounded like her father and accused the company of recreating his voice.
Royal Mail said the voiceover was made using prompts and was not designed to replicate any specific person.
The advert was produced by external partners, and Royal Mail said their checks found no resemblance concerns.
- Who
- Royal Mail and the family of late narrator Paul Vaughan.
- What
- Royal Mail confirmed that its Christmas advert used an AI-generated voiceover. Vaughan’s daughter said it sounded like her father.
- When
- The advert aired in November 2025; Royal Mail confirmed the AI use on 9 October 2026.
- Where
- The advert was shown on television. The production was subcontracted to Czechia-based Fameplay.
- Why
- Royal Mail said the voiceover was generated using prompts and was not designed to replicate a specific person. The reason for using AI was not stated.
Paul Vaughan’s family
Royal Mail
Use of Vaughan’s voice
Paul Vaughan’s family
His daughter said the advert sounded like her father and accused Royal Mail of using an AI replica without the family’s permission.
Royal Mail
Royal Mail said the voiceover was not designed to replicate any specific individual.
Checks and responsibility
Paul Vaughan’s family
His daughter said the company had not done background searches to identify the voice.
Royal Mail
Royal Mail said production partners carried out checks and found no resemblance concerns.
It’s outrageous
They have not bothered to do their background searches to figure out who this voice is.
As is increasingly common, the voiceover was AI-generated and we were advised that it was created using prompts and was not designed to replicate any specific individual.
We have robust safeguards to ensure that people’s voices are not cloned without their consent.
Royal Mail’s Christmas advert aired with an AI-generated voiceover.
Royal Mail confirmed that the advert’s voiceover was AI-generated.
- Narrator
- Paul Vaughan, who died in 2014 aged 89
- Advert
- Royal Mail Christmas advert aired in November 2025
- AI voiceover
- Royal Mail said it was generated using prompts
- Advertising agency
- Darwin & The Machines
- Subcontracted production firm
- Fameplay, based in Czechia
Sources
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