It's probably one of the most recognisable Cockney accents in cinematic history - and it doesn't actually sound anything like it, either.
Dick Van Dyke's turn as Bert / Mr. Dawes in the 1964 classic Mary Poppins made him into a household name, but it's clear that the 91-year-old actor has been carrying the guilt around with him for years, as he directly addressed the accent in a statement released after BAFTA selected him for the Britannia Award For Excellence In Television.
"I appreciate this opportunity to apologise to the members of BAFTA for inflicting on them the most atrocious cockney accent in the history of cinema," said Van Dyke in his statement.
In an earlier interview in 2014, Van Dyke said that he never realised there was anything wrong with his accent until years after the film was released. "I was working with an entire English cast and nobody said a word, not Julie (Andrews), not anybody said I needed to work on it, so I thought I was alright."
Van Dyke is reportedly set to reprise his role as Mr. Dawes for the sequel Mary Poppins Returns, which is due for release on December 21st, 2018.
