{{Short description|Scottish actress}} {{Infobox person | name = Fletcher Mathers | image = Fletcher Mathers (cropped).png | caption = Mathers in 2018 | birth_date = 1963 | birth_place = Scone, Scotland | citizenship = United Kingdom | occupation = {{hlist|Actress|Voice actress|Director}} | years_active = 1989–present | known_for = Announcer for ScotRail trains | module = {{Listen |embed= yes |filename= Fletcher Mathers.ogg |title= Mathers voice |type= speech |description= Her recreation of the ScotRail train announcement, recorded in 2018}} }}
'''Fletcher Mathers''' (born 1963) is a Scottish actress and director who was the announcer for ScotRail trains from 2005 to 2025, before being replaced by an artificial intelligence voice. She has also appeared in Television series, theatrical plays and short films.
== Life and career == Mathers was born on 1963<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fletcher Mathers - Playwright |url=https://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsM/mathers-fletcher.php |access-date=2025-08-18 |website=www.doollee.com}}</ref> in Scone, Perthshire and was trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow.<ref name="DGWGO">{{Cite web |date=2023-09-23 |title=Woman Walking by Sylvia Dow: Coming to Dumfries & Galloway {{!}} DGWGO |url=https://www.dgwgo.com/dg-arts-news/woman-walking-sylvia-dow-coming-dumfries-galloway/ |access-date=2025-08-16 }}</ref>
In 2005, Mathers recorded announcements for ScotRail trains, including the approach for each stop,<ref name="The National-2025">{{Cite web |date=2025-05-30 |title=I've voiced ScotRail trains for 20 years and was replaced with AI without being told |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/25204424.voice-scotrail-20-years-replaced-ai/ |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=The National}}</ref> with the voice lines being recorded in Nottingham.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Voice of ScotRail |url=http://leith.tv:80/stories/1690-the-voice-of-scotrail |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151127075659/http://leith.tv:80/stories/1690-the-voice-of-scotrail |archive-date=2015-11-27 |access-date=2025-08-17 |website=URTV Leith }}</ref> Over the next 20 years she recorded occasional additions and updates to the recordings.<ref name="The National-2025" /> In 2025, ScotRail started rolling out a new AI voice for their service, replacing older messages recorded by Mathers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-05-16 |title=ScotRail issues statement on new AI voice announcements |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/25168996.scotrail-issue-statement-new-ai-voice-announcements/ |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=The National }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-06-03 |title=When AI kills off the ScotRail lady, you know we're all in trouble |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/viewpoint/25207825.ai-kills-off-scotrail-lady-know-trouble/ |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=The Herald }}</ref> Mathers only learned she was being replaced after a friend heard the new synthetic voice onboard.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-12-12 |title=ScotRail launches new AI announcer after row with voiceover artist |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/25693308.scotrail-launches-new-ai-announcer-trains-row/ |access-date=2025-12-13 |website=The National |language=en}}</ref> In an interview with ''The National'', Mathers said it had been "a bit hurtful that they hadn't informed me that they were changing".<ref name="The National-2025" />
Mathers has also worked in television, appearing in the series ''Taggart'' in 1990<ref name="The National-2025" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Episode 2, Season 6 : Death Comes Softly - Taggart |url=https://digiguide.tv/programme/Drama/Taggart/33261/season-6/episode-2/Death-Comes-Softly/460550/ |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=digiguide.tv}}</ref> and ''Shetland'' in 2013.<ref name="BBC">{{Cite web |title=BBC One - Shetland, Series 3, Episode 3 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06z8zjs |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=BBC }}</ref> In theatre, she was in ''The 306: Day at Station Hotel, Perth'' from 2017,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Radcliffe |first=Allan |date=2017-05-15 |title=Theatre: The 306: Day at Station Hotel, Perth |url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/theatre-dance/article/theatre-the-306-day-at-station-hotel-perth-56ht7wxst |access-date=2025-08-17 |website=www.thetimes.com }}</ref> ''Sylvia Dow'' and ''Secret Wrapped in Lead'' in 2023,<ref name="DGWGO" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-24 |title=A Secret Wrapped in Lead -Loaningdale Arts |url=https://corrblimey.uk/2023/07/24/secret-wrapped-in-lead-loaningdale-arts/ |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=Corr Blimey }}</ref> and ''Maiden Mother Mage'' in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gaelic culture in July 2025: Maiden Mother Mage |url=https://list.co.uk/news/gaelic-culture-in-july-2025-maiden-mother-mage-46845 |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=The List}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-07-18 |title=Review: Maiden Mother Mage gives voice to ancient princess and saint |url=https://www.dunfermlinepress.com/news/25323910.review-rebecca-sharps-maiden-mother-mage-culross/ |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=Dunfermline Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Maiden Mother Mage |url=https://list.co.uk/event/maiden-mother-mage-340283 |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=The List}}</ref>
Mathers also directed the play ''Katie Morag'' with actress Sally Reid, in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Scott |first=Robert Dawson |date=2008-04-22 |title=Katie Morag at Citizens Theatre, Glasgow |url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/uk-travel/scotland-travel/katie-morag-at-citizens-theatre-glasgow-bwxc059gw5c |access-date=2025-08-18 |website=www.thetimes.com}}</ref> Mathers was the star of the 2010 short film ''Choices,'' which was nominated for the 2010 British Academy Scotland New Talent Awards.<ref name="BAFTA">{{Cite web |title=New Talent Awards Winners in 2010 - Awards - Scotland - The BAFTA site |url=http://www.bafta.org/scotland/awards/new-talent-awards-winners-in-2010,1156,BA.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100824135702/http://www.bafta.org/scotland/awards/new-talent-awards-winners-in-2010,1156,BA.html |archive-date=2010-08-24 |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=www.bafta.org }}</ref>
== Filmography == {{Incomplete list|date=December 2025}} {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+Television ! scope="col" |Year ! scope="col" |Title ! scope="col" |Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" |Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" |{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- !1989 |''The Play on One'' |Brenda |Govan Ghost Story | style="text-align: center;" |<ref>{{Cite web |date=1989-03-07 |title=BBC Programme Index |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/ca0b411399e849f3bab6a89bbe22ff91 |access-date=2025-08-17 |website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> |- !1990 |''Taggart'' |Lillias Blacklock |Series 6, Episode 2 | style="text-align: center;" |<ref name="The National-2025" /> |- !1991 |''City Lights'' (1984 TV series) |Miss Goole |Series 6, Episode 7 | style="text-align: center;" | |- !1994 |''Doctor Finlay'' |Fiona Sturges |Series 3, Episode 1 | style="text-align: center;" | |- !2012 |''Dani's House'' |Grandma Judith |Series 5, Episode 12 | style="text-align: center;" | |- !2013 | scope="row" |''Shetland'' |Bridal Shop Owner |Series 3, Episode 3 | style="text-align:center;" |<ref name="BBC" /> |} {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+Theatrical plays ! scope="col" |Year ! scope="col" |Title ! scope="col" |Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" |Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" |{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- !2007 |''Katie Morag'' | |Director | style="text-align: center;" | |- !2017 |''The 306: Day at Station Hotel, Perth'' | |Written by Oliver Emanuel | style="text-align: center;" | |- !2023 |''Sylvia Dow'' | | | style="text-align: center;" | |- !2023 |''Secret Wrapped in Lead'' | | | style="text-align: center;" | |- !2025 |''Maiden Mother Mage'' | | | style="text-align: center;" | |} {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+Short film ! scope="col" |Year ! scope="col" |Title ! scope="col" |Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" |Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" |{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- !2010 |''Choices'' |The Woman | | style="text-align: center;" |<ref name="BAFTA" /> |- !2017 |''Do Not Disturb'' |Carla | | style="text-align: center;" | |}
== References ==
{{reflist}} == External links == {{IMDb name|2194564}} Category:1963 births Category:Living people Category:Scottish stage actresses Category:Scottish television actresses Category:Scottish voice actresses Category:People from Scone, Perth and Kinross Category:Actresses from Perth and Kinross Category:20th-century Scottish actresses Category:21st-century Scottish actresses Category:Alumni of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Category:Scottish theatre directors {{DEFAULTSORT:Mathers, Fletcher}}