Watch: English woman who woke up Welsh posts update about accent mystery

An English woman who hit the global headlines when she posted a TikTok video in which she said she abruptly woke up with a Welsh accent has received some wonderful news in her search to solve the mystery of how her accent changed.

It came after Zoe Coles from Licolnshire posted a video on the social media platform last month, revealing how she had to stop working her job in a pub due to her vocal changes when her voice transformed from her original accent, to German and then into Welsh.

She was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) in 2022 and now believes she has Foreign Accent Syndrome (FAS) – a speech disorder that gives native speakers the feeling they sound like they’re speaking in a foreign accent.

“Is there any neurologist out there who would want to work with me?” she appealed in the video. “Is there any neurologist who’d want to help figure out what’s going on in my brain?

“I woke up with a Welsh accent six weeks ago,” Zoe added. “Something isn’t right up there, and I want you to figure out what it is, please.”

@zoecoles1 Help a girl out #helpme #helpagirlout #findmesomeone #neurology #neuroscience #neurologist #doctor #medicalhelp #letshelpeachother #togetherwecan #fyp #viral ♬ original sound – zoecoles1

In the weeks since she says she woke up involuntarily speaking with a Welsh accent, Zoe has posted numerous TikTok videos seeking assistance and guidance from the public. She has also been posting about foreign accent syndrome.

“I’m not sure when it’s going to leave,” she said. “Never in my life have I been able to mimic an accent, and here I am, acing it.

“It won’t go away, I think it’s stuck.”

After she appealed for medical help when her TikTok videos went viral she was inundated with messages and offers of support.

In a recent video titled ‘Change is coming’, an emotional Zoe said: “What a 24 hours I’ve had. So many DMs, so many private messages, emails, phonecalls, comments, my video is all over. It’s all over the internet, the socials, it’s everywhere and I’m so glad that it is, because this is my step forward to getting help.

“Hopefully a neurologist will step forward, or a couple of them. We’ll team together and we’ll work on this and hopefully, fingers crossed, we can start helping others as well.”

@zoecoles1 Ive gone viral #ivegoneviral #viral #socialnews #socail #itvnews #bbcnews #ontv #skynews #welshaccent #foreignaccentsyndrome #accent #fyp ♬ original sound – zoecoles1

Now, in her latest TikTok video Zoe revealed she has received the news she has been waiting for. She’s found a neurologist willing to help her.

In an enthusiastic and determined message she said: “I am absolutely beaming with pride. I am so graetful for all your positive vibes, all your positive comments, your messages of encouragement.

“I have been contacted by a neurologist who wants to help me. Not only does he want to help me, he wants to help everyone suffering with FND.

“It’s going to take time, but there is so much more information out there for us. and I am going to get it, I’m going to find it and share it. And we together are going to get better.”

@zoecoles1 Yes!!!!!! Thank you thank you ❤️ #thanku #thankyou #fnd #fndawareness #foreignaccentsyndrome #welsh #help #support #grateful #positivevibes #positivity #positivepeople #imexcited #myjourney #myfuture #ididthis #me #fyp ♬ original sound – zoecoles1