Helen Lloyd
Credible, Warm, Authoritative, Flexible
'Words only suggest an experience, but the voice is that experience'
Jeff Buckley
Audiobook profile
Thirty years ago, I recorded a series of Audiobooks with Line Productions for publication on cassette. The internet had not been thought of and Audible was not even a twinkle in Amazon's eye. How times have changed!
There was then rather a long gap in my Audiobook career while I was working in television production and though I was able to do other VO work, audiobooks were not an option at that time. During those intervening years, a digital revolution occurred! However, the skills I first developed all those years ago, have enabled me to regenerate my audiobook career. I now read books from a tablet and record them in my personal home studio - working independently and remotely for producers and publishers in the US and in the UK. I work across all book genres, classics, histories, romances, memoires, biographies, I am also an ACX audiobook producer and a member of APA (Audio Publishers Association)
There was then rather a long gap in my Audiobook career while I was working in television production and though I was able to do other VO work, audiobooks were not an option at that time. During those intervening years, a digital revolution occurred! However, the skills I first developed all those years ago, have enabled me to regenerate my audiobook career. I now read books from a tablet and record them in my personal home studio - working independently and remotely for producers and publishers in the US and in the UK. I work across all book genres, classics, histories, romances, memoires, biographies, I am also an ACX audiobook producer and a member of APA (Audio Publishers Association)
Audiobooks
A Gentleman ‘Till Midnight by Alison DeLaine - Regency Romance for Audible Studios
A Paris Lawyer by Sylvie Granotier - Thriller / Suspense for Audible Studios
A Regency Charade by Elizabeth Mansfield - Regency Romance for Audible Studios
After I've Gone by Linda Green - Psychological Thriller for Quercus
A Want of Kindness – A History of Queen Anne by Joanne Limburg - Historical Fiction for Lamplight Audiobooks
About Last Night by Catherine Alliot - Contemporary Fiction for Wholestory Audio
Adopting Sarajevo by Alexandra Marshall - Literary Fiction for Audible Studios
An Affair with A Notorious Heiress by Lorraine Heath - Regency Romance for Harper Audio
Bath – A History of Beau Nash by Edith Sitwell - Historical Fiction for Audible Studios
Bosnian Chronicle by Ivo Andric - Historical Fiction for Audible Studios
Falling Into Bed With a Duke by Lorraine Heath - Regency Romance for Harper Audio
In the Garden of Temptation by Cynthia Wicklund - Regency Romance for Push Play Audio
Keeping Me Company & Visionary Mountains by Jesse Craignou - Short Story Anthology for Push Play Audio
Love Hunt 1 & Love Hunt II by Ruby Allure - Chick Lit Series for ACX
Money Farm by Ruby Allure - Contemporary Fiction for ACX
Once More My Darling Rogue by Lorraine Heath - Regency Romance for Harper Audio
Owl Song At Dawn by Emma Claire Sweeney - Literary Fiction for Wholestory Audio
Sanditon by Jane Austin & Juliette Shapiro - Classic fiction for Audible Studios
Spero by Ursula Westmacott - Memoire N/F for Audible Studios
Taken Care Of by Edith Sitwell - Autobiography N/F for Audible Studios
The Books of Blood Vol 4 – Down Satan by Clive Barker (Short Horror Stories) for Audible Studios
The Duke and The Lady in Red by Lorraine Heath - Regency Romance for Audible Studios
The Earl Takes All by Lorraine Heath - Regency Romance for Harper Audio
The Factory Girls / The Canary Girls / The Munitions Girls / The Ferry Girls by Rosie Archer - WWII Romance Series for Quercus
The Gut Makeover by Jeannette Hyde - Health & Wellbeing N/F for Audible Studios
The House On Bellevue Gardens by Rachel Hore - Contemporary Fiction for Wholestory Audio
The Jewelfire Trilogy (The Amber Citadel, The Sapphire Throne, The Obsidian Tower) by Freda Warrington - Fantasy for Audible Studios
The Lodger by Louisa Treger - Literary Fiction for Audible Studios
The Marriage Wager by Jane Ashford - Regency Romance for Audible Studios
The Night Visitor by Lucy Atkins - Thriller for Quercus Audiobooks
The Queens and The Hive – The History of Mary Tudor, Elizabeth 1 and Mary Stuart by
Edith Sitwell - Historical Fiction for Audible Studios
The Safest Place in London by Maggie Joel - Historical Fiction for Wavesound Australia
The Viscount and The Vixen by Lorraine Heath - Regency Romance for Harper Audio
To Be a Woman – The Life of Jill Cragie by Carl Rollyson - Biography N/F for ACX
Twisted 50. 50 Horror Stories, 50 Authors, 50 Narrators - Short Horror Stories for Author's Republic
When I Was Otherwise by Stephen Benatar - Contemporary Fiction for Audible Studios
When The Duke Was Wicked by Lorraine Heath - Regency Romance for Harper Audio
A Paris Lawyer by Sylvie Granotier - Thriller / Suspense for Audible Studios
A Regency Charade by Elizabeth Mansfield - Regency Romance for Audible Studios
After I've Gone by Linda Green - Psychological Thriller for Quercus
A Want of Kindness – A History of Queen Anne by Joanne Limburg - Historical Fiction for Lamplight Audiobooks
About Last Night by Catherine Alliot - Contemporary Fiction for Wholestory Audio
Adopting Sarajevo by Alexandra Marshall - Literary Fiction for Audible Studios
An Affair with A Notorious Heiress by Lorraine Heath - Regency Romance for Harper Audio
Bath – A History of Beau Nash by Edith Sitwell - Historical Fiction for Audible Studios
Bosnian Chronicle by Ivo Andric - Historical Fiction for Audible Studios
Falling Into Bed With a Duke by Lorraine Heath - Regency Romance for Harper Audio
In the Garden of Temptation by Cynthia Wicklund - Regency Romance for Push Play Audio
Keeping Me Company & Visionary Mountains by Jesse Craignou - Short Story Anthology for Push Play Audio
Love Hunt 1 & Love Hunt II by Ruby Allure - Chick Lit Series for ACX
Money Farm by Ruby Allure - Contemporary Fiction for ACX
Once More My Darling Rogue by Lorraine Heath - Regency Romance for Harper Audio
Owl Song At Dawn by Emma Claire Sweeney - Literary Fiction for Wholestory Audio
Sanditon by Jane Austin & Juliette Shapiro - Classic fiction for Audible Studios
Spero by Ursula Westmacott - Memoire N/F for Audible Studios
Taken Care Of by Edith Sitwell - Autobiography N/F for Audible Studios
The Books of Blood Vol 4 – Down Satan by Clive Barker (Short Horror Stories) for Audible Studios
The Duke and The Lady in Red by Lorraine Heath - Regency Romance for Audible Studios
The Earl Takes All by Lorraine Heath - Regency Romance for Harper Audio
The Factory Girls / The Canary Girls / The Munitions Girls / The Ferry Girls by Rosie Archer - WWII Romance Series for Quercus
The Gut Makeover by Jeannette Hyde - Health & Wellbeing N/F for Audible Studios
The House On Bellevue Gardens by Rachel Hore - Contemporary Fiction for Wholestory Audio
The Jewelfire Trilogy (The Amber Citadel, The Sapphire Throne, The Obsidian Tower) by Freda Warrington - Fantasy for Audible Studios
The Lodger by Louisa Treger - Literary Fiction for Audible Studios
The Marriage Wager by Jane Ashford - Regency Romance for Audible Studios
The Night Visitor by Lucy Atkins - Thriller for Quercus Audiobooks
The Queens and The Hive – The History of Mary Tudor, Elizabeth 1 and Mary Stuart by
Edith Sitwell - Historical Fiction for Audible Studios
The Safest Place in London by Maggie Joel - Historical Fiction for Wavesound Australia
The Viscount and The Vixen by Lorraine Heath - Regency Romance for Harper Audio
To Be a Woman – The Life of Jill Cragie by Carl Rollyson - Biography N/F for ACX
Twisted 50. 50 Horror Stories, 50 Authors, 50 Narrators - Short Horror Stories for Author's Republic
When I Was Otherwise by Stephen Benatar - Contemporary Fiction for Audible Studios
When The Duke Was Wicked by Lorraine Heath - Regency Romance for Harper Audio
Potted biography
I was born in North Wales (but only just!) in a little village called Bronnington, about three miles over the Welsh border but moved to the East Midlands at the age of six.
I never really wanted to do anything other than be an actor and began taking drama lessons before leaving primary school. I recorded my first voiceover when I was around fourteen for a documentary film about my secondary school. A few years later I won an acting scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. The first fourteen years of my professional life were then spent as an actor, mainly on stage, but I also did various bits and bobs in radio and television.
A chance advertisement in 'The Stage' led me to a career change and on January 1 1982 I was scheduled to make the opening continuity announcement for 'Central' the new ITV station for the East Midlands. However, it was not to be - an electricians' strike took us temporarily 'off the air'! The station did eventually go live and I spent the next five years doing live and recorded in-vision and voiceover continuity, weather forecasts, news bulletins and local commercials for ITV Central. At the same time, I began developing a freelance VO career, recording for a number of corporate clients and voicing items for Central News, Central Post and Central Weekend as well as various drama productions. In 1987 a secondment led me to a job behind the cameras in Central's factual programme department, starting as a researcher and progressing to a programme producer and director. In 1988 I was awarded a Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship and spent three months in Australia assessing the changes to broadcasting brought about by 'deregulation'. On my return the digital revolution was under way and there were numerous programmes being made for the new digital channels, many of which needed narration! I was very fortunate to be in the right place at the right time and my voiceover career continued alongside my developing career as a producer and director.
In 2003 I took redundancy from ITV and returned to my roots - even returning briefly to the stage and starring in a short film 'Gerald's Best Client'. I also set up my first home studio and discovered just out how much everything had changed! From those first tentative steps Choice Voices has developed. I have upgraded my equipment, worked with editors and engineers to develop my technical skills - and am delighted that my pipes are still in full working order (and available for hire) more than fifty years after I recorded my first voice over.
I never really wanted to do anything other than be an actor and began taking drama lessons before leaving primary school. I recorded my first voiceover when I was around fourteen for a documentary film about my secondary school. A few years later I won an acting scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. The first fourteen years of my professional life were then spent as an actor, mainly on stage, but I also did various bits and bobs in radio and television.
A chance advertisement in 'The Stage' led me to a career change and on January 1 1982 I was scheduled to make the opening continuity announcement for 'Central' the new ITV station for the East Midlands. However, it was not to be - an electricians' strike took us temporarily 'off the air'! The station did eventually go live and I spent the next five years doing live and recorded in-vision and voiceover continuity, weather forecasts, news bulletins and local commercials for ITV Central. At the same time, I began developing a freelance VO career, recording for a number of corporate clients and voicing items for Central News, Central Post and Central Weekend as well as various drama productions. In 1987 a secondment led me to a job behind the cameras in Central's factual programme department, starting as a researcher and progressing to a programme producer and director. In 1988 I was awarded a Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship and spent three months in Australia assessing the changes to broadcasting brought about by 'deregulation'. On my return the digital revolution was under way and there were numerous programmes being made for the new digital channels, many of which needed narration! I was very fortunate to be in the right place at the right time and my voiceover career continued alongside my developing career as a producer and director.
In 2003 I took redundancy from ITV and returned to my roots - even returning briefly to the stage and starring in a short film 'Gerald's Best Client'. I also set up my first home studio and discovered just out how much everything had changed! From those first tentative steps Choice Voices has developed. I have upgraded my equipment, worked with editors and engineers to develop my technical skills - and am delighted that my pipes are still in full working order (and available for hire) more than fifty years after I recorded my first voice over.
Awards & Affiliations
'The Night The Bombs Went Off' - Royal Television Society Best Documentary Award - 2002 (Narrator)
'50 Years of ...' Houston Worldfest Bronze Award (Producer and narrator)
Winston Churchill Memorial Trust 'Churchill Fellow' 1988
British Actors' Equity Association
World Voices (WoVO) Professional Member
Audio Publishers Association (APA)
'50 Years of ...' Houston Worldfest Bronze Award (Producer and narrator)
Winston Churchill Memorial Trust 'Churchill Fellow' 1988
British Actors' Equity Association
World Voices (WoVO) Professional Member
Audio Publishers Association (APA)
Testimonials
'Helen Lloyd's narration is remarkable. The strength and warmth of her voice easily lifts stories from the page and into the listener's ears. Her story telling is captivating.'
JACKIE ROSENFELD Casting Director, BeeAudio
'We've hired Helen on several occasions to provide voiceover for a range of projects. She does an excellent job, really understanding the direction given and delivering on time and on budget. Not only that, she's been a real pleasure to deal with, and made our lives easier when we were juggling tricky clients. Looking forward to the next time we'll have the opportunity to work with her voice on a project'
HELEN LAUDER Senior Project Manager, Pitstop Productions Ltd.
'Not only does Helen have a hauntingly beautiful voice, rich and velvety, but her pacing and expression are pitch perfect. I was impressed by the importance she placed on matters of interpretation, and her attention to details ... Helen was a joy to work with; her reading brought my book to life and magically captured its atmosphere.'
LOUISA TREGER Author 'The Lodger'
‘Helen's communication, attention to detail and performance are of a very high standard. I wouldn't hesitate in recommending her voice over services.’
ALISTAIR LANGFIELD Matinee Multilingual
‘I can recommend Helen's lovely voice and clean studio sound and quick turn around. 100% professional.’
JIM KENNELLY Producer Lotas Productions. NYC
'An excellent voice with the added bonus of being a great person to work with.'
MIKE BLAIR: Executive Producer Shiver (ITVS) Manchester
' Whether it’s lifestyle or current affairs, Helen reflects warmth, compassion and, most of all, credibility. She is a true professional behind the mic with a good range and the ability to take direction and to empathise with the content. She always delivers a polished product and works very well under pressure and to tight deadlines.'
DUNCAN RYCROFT: Executive Producer Gaucho Media London
‘Helen’s gentle yet confident voice added an air of compassion to a very sensitive subject.'
CAROLL BAKER. Producer ‘The Night the Bombs Went Off’, ITV Central
Helen’s voice engaged the viewer completely. . . She brings authority and equally sensitivity and compassion. She is also a true professional and great fun to work with.'
SUSAN JONES: Redhead Business Films.
‘Helen strikes just the right mood. When is lot is happening on screen, she calmly guides the viewer through the action. Helen is the ideal voiceover companion.'
ALLISTER CRADDOCK: The Politics Show.
'Helen's smooth delivery and authoritative tone have been perfect for the films she's voiced for me. I would definitely book her again.'
GEOFF WARD. Freelance director and film-maker.
'Clear, expressive, authoritative. Helen has all the qualities you need from a voiceover artist.'
ANDREW FOX. Series Producer '30 Minutes'
'Helen adds depth and quality to every programme she voices. Her versatility can bring warmth and humour, seriousness or authority. Her timing and intuition are spot on, she is a true professional.'
BEVERLEY COLLEDGE-BELL Series Producer Central Regional Programmes
‘As a producer, it's always a benefit to have a voice over talent that makes your job easy. Helen is that talent. She has a wonderfully rich voice, capable of expressing a wide range of emotions and nuances. Her work is always professionally done with a rapid turn-around and outstanding quality. I would recommend her to anyone.'
ROB JONES. Series Producer Factual Programmes, Carlton Television
I always enjoy working with Helen. She is the ultimate professional and her voice brings added-value to every project she works on. She is intuitive and sensitive when dealing with difficult subject matter - and is always clear, empathetic and compassionate - never patronising.
FRANCES OMMANNEY Freelance Producer ITV Education
JACKIE ROSENFELD Casting Director, BeeAudio
'We've hired Helen on several occasions to provide voiceover for a range of projects. She does an excellent job, really understanding the direction given and delivering on time and on budget. Not only that, she's been a real pleasure to deal with, and made our lives easier when we were juggling tricky clients. Looking forward to the next time we'll have the opportunity to work with her voice on a project'
HELEN LAUDER Senior Project Manager, Pitstop Productions Ltd.
'Not only does Helen have a hauntingly beautiful voice, rich and velvety, but her pacing and expression are pitch perfect. I was impressed by the importance she placed on matters of interpretation, and her attention to details ... Helen was a joy to work with; her reading brought my book to life and magically captured its atmosphere.'
LOUISA TREGER Author 'The Lodger'
‘Helen's communication, attention to detail and performance are of a very high standard. I wouldn't hesitate in recommending her voice over services.’
ALISTAIR LANGFIELD Matinee Multilingual
‘I can recommend Helen's lovely voice and clean studio sound and quick turn around. 100% professional.’
JIM KENNELLY Producer Lotas Productions. NYC
'An excellent voice with the added bonus of being a great person to work with.'
MIKE BLAIR: Executive Producer Shiver (ITVS) Manchester
' Whether it’s lifestyle or current affairs, Helen reflects warmth, compassion and, most of all, credibility. She is a true professional behind the mic with a good range and the ability to take direction and to empathise with the content. She always delivers a polished product and works very well under pressure and to tight deadlines.'
DUNCAN RYCROFT: Executive Producer Gaucho Media London
‘Helen’s gentle yet confident voice added an air of compassion to a very sensitive subject.'
CAROLL BAKER. Producer ‘The Night the Bombs Went Off’, ITV Central
Helen’s voice engaged the viewer completely. . . She brings authority and equally sensitivity and compassion. She is also a true professional and great fun to work with.'
SUSAN JONES: Redhead Business Films.
‘Helen strikes just the right mood. When is lot is happening on screen, she calmly guides the viewer through the action. Helen is the ideal voiceover companion.'
ALLISTER CRADDOCK: The Politics Show.
'Helen's smooth delivery and authoritative tone have been perfect for the films she's voiced for me. I would definitely book her again.'
GEOFF WARD. Freelance director and film-maker.
'Clear, expressive, authoritative. Helen has all the qualities you need from a voiceover artist.'
ANDREW FOX. Series Producer '30 Minutes'
'Helen adds depth and quality to every programme she voices. Her versatility can bring warmth and humour, seriousness or authority. Her timing and intuition are spot on, she is a true professional.'
BEVERLEY COLLEDGE-BELL Series Producer Central Regional Programmes
‘As a producer, it's always a benefit to have a voice over talent that makes your job easy. Helen is that talent. She has a wonderfully rich voice, capable of expressing a wide range of emotions and nuances. Her work is always professionally done with a rapid turn-around and outstanding quality. I would recommend her to anyone.'
ROB JONES. Series Producer Factual Programmes, Carlton Television
I always enjoy working with Helen. She is the ultimate professional and her voice brings added-value to every project she works on. She is intuitive and sensitive when dealing with difficult subject matter - and is always clear, empathetic and compassionate - never patronising.
FRANCES OMMANNEY Freelance Producer ITV Education
