Phil Sayer

Early life and career

Sayer was born Philip Clift, on 18 May 1953, in Norwich, Norfolk, the son of Cyril Clift, a town planner. His parents’ marriage was unhappy, however, and his mother Hazel moved the family to Liverpool, where she remarried. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' Boys' School at Great Crosby on Merseyside, where he was a member of the successful public speaking team.

From 1976 Sayer, having adopted his stepfather’s surname as a stage name, was a newsreader on BBC North West Tonight, where he remained for ten years. After that he was a presenter on several radio stations, including Piccadilly Radio, where he began in 1976, Red Rose Radio, BBC GMR (now BBC Radio Manchester), Radio City, Jazz FM and Smooth FM.

His voice is currently used at many British railway stations, including the entire South West Trains network, almost the entire Southern network, and at a number of stations on the Northern Rail network, for the provision of announcements regarding train arrivals, departures and cancellations or delays, as well as general information for the travelling public. Sayer would probably be best remembered for his voice, on the London Underground system, warning passengers to "mind the gap" and "stand clear of the doors please". Sayer's obituary in The New York Times suggested that the "'mind the gap'... warning is one of the system's most distinctive features". Rail staff referred to his voice as "Metal Mickey".

Death

On 4 April 2016 it was announced, on the Sayer Hamilton website, that due to a rapid and unexpected decline in Sayer's health, the company was temporarily closing for business and that Sayer would be retiring. Sayer died of oesophageal cancer on 14 April. Announcing his death on Facebook, his wife wrote that "We are sorry to announce that this service terminates here", echoing the wording of a train announcement. He had four children, two from his first marriage and twin boys from his marriage to Hamilton.