An accent question for our UK friends

[schmendrik]

OK, I'm going to make myself look like an idiot and ask this question, which I think millions of Americans want to know.

As you probably are aware, a lot of Americans confuse the Cockney and Australian accents. I thought I could tell the difference, but there's a character in advertisements whose accent I just can't decide. It's a gecko used by the insurance company Geico. A lot of people refer to him as Cockney, my wife and I are convinced it's Australian (or at least supposed to be).

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=geico+gecko&search_type=&aq=f

Which is it? Or is it something else? Or is it just a very bad version of Australian done by an American? Or what?

[Ash]

The gecko is voiced by Englishman Jake Wood.

As for the differences in accents, I can easily tell them apart.  I spent a month in Australia and dated an Aussie chick, so the Aussie accent is very familiar to me.

[schmendrik]

The gecko is voiced by Englishman Jake Wood.

Which doesn't completely answer the question as to what accent he's doing, since actors aren't necessarily doing their native accent. But I suppose the "East Enders" credit suggests Cockney.

As for the differences in accents, I can easily tell them apart.  I spent a month in Australia and dated an Aussie chick, so the Aussie accent is very familiar to me.

And so your verdict on the gecko is...?

[Ash]

It sounds like he's doing both accents.
In one sentence, it sounds like an English accent.  In the next it sounds like Aussie.

[Psycho Circus]

Cockney, man I hate cockney's too 

[Ed, Ego and Superego]

Ever notice that the gecko had a more sophisticated accent, then adopted the Cockney?  .  Historically, the East End accent was not the accent fo the well-to-do or educated.  Culturally, its akin a spokes lizard adopting a brooklyn plumber's accent to sell you insurance
-Ed

[dean]

Definitely British, not Aussie.  It's all about the upper inflections: the Brit cockney accent has more up tones in it and the slang and terms, whilst easily adopted by anyone really, is a very British way of speaking.  Or at least in the one I saw.