The West Country accent is often mimicked and sometimes, most shockingly, even mocked, but it is one that is not easy to get right if you are not from round these parts. Even highly talented actors have struggled to get the accent right at times and a bad West Country accent has the potential to spoil the enjoyment of a film or TV show for West Country natives.
In the history of film and TV, there are famous examples of actors butchering accents. Dick Van Dyke's comically bad Cockney accent in Mary Poppins, for example, and Don Cheadle's equally unusual effort in Ocean’s Eleven, for example.
There are also some unforgettable attempts at recreating the accent of the South West. The West Country accent is quite distinct and those who don’t naturally have it struggle to emulate it. This has been proven over and over again in films and TV shows in recent years.
