Whilst at Granada Television, he was asked to be the temporary announcer of University Challenge for the 1997 series, and then returned permanently in 2001.
His voice is heard at the start of every show introducing the presenter, Amol Rajan, and whenever a contestant buzzes or rings in for a starter question announcing their college and surname.
The voice-overs are performed live in the studio and his voice is famously known for becoming noticeably more energetic towards the end of the programme.
Tilling has also been the voice of other game shows on various channels, including the 70-episode series of Family Fortunes aired from 2 September to 6 December 2002.
BBC's Panorama producers have regularly brought him in for vocal contributions for their current affairs programmes since 2003.