Dr Who to Deliver your Text Messages

Actor Tom Baker is to be the voice of a talking text message service.

He will replace the computerised BT voice for three months.

Tom Baker was chosen for his instantly recognisable voice.

It took 11 days to record about 12 thousand phrases and sounds which could then be used by a computer to make new words.

Engineers then spent five months processing the recordings so the BT computers could translate them into spoken words.

The service recognises many common text abbreviations e.g. "gr8" as "great" and "xx" as "kiss kiss".

BT says there are no limits as to what Tom Baker's voice can say - including naughty words.