What is an estuary accent?

The estuary accent is a dialect most associated with the southeast region of England. The accent is named for the region near the estuary of the River Thames.

Recognizable features of the accent include the absence of the hard "r" sound, replacement of the "th" sound with an "f" or "v" and absence of a hard "t" sound. Examples of well-known people who speak with an estuary accent are Jude Law, Ricky Gervais and Michael Cain. Some linguists believe that, because of the popularity of television shows that feature the estuary accent, it is spreading across England and replacing other common British dialects.