Bonnie Tyler: I got elocution lessons to tone down Welsh accent

Bonnie Tyler has said she signed up for elocution lessons earlier in her career because she was so self-conscious about her strong Welsh accent.

The Total Eclipse Of The Heart singer, 72, who was born in Skewen in Wales, said she was concerned about speaking on stage because of her accent.

She told Good Morning Britain: “When I was working in residencies when I first started singing – I was singing since I’m 17, I’m in my 70s now – but in between songs, I used to get really nervous about talking because of my very, very strong Welsh accent.

“And so I thought I would try to curb it down, so I went for elocution lessons.

“As you can hear, it didn’t work!”

Tyler’s biggest hit has marked its 40th anniversary and had a fresh resurgence with the solar eclipse in April.

She said: “Every time a total eclipse comes around, of course it goes back to number one, it went to number one again in America.

“I was singing it night before last in Sweden, I came in from Sweden last night and they just love it, the whole audience was just singing along with it.”

Tyler’s other biggest hits include Holding Out For A Hero and If I Sing You A Love Song.