Odds are, you’ve never heard of Simon Kane.

He’s not from around here. Isn’t really into sports and has never watched a college football game.

But you know his face.

And you certainly know his voice, at least through two words that’ll forever connect him to Alabama football pop culture.

HIGH TIDE!

HIGH TIDE, GUYS! HIGH TIDE!

Yes, he’s that guy.

And the British actor is quite amused to learn his brief appearance in an Allstate commercial has become something of a cult classic on this side of the Atlantic.

Speaking with AL.com this week via Zoom, Kane had a good laugh discussing his fame over here while recalling some of the details behind the filming. It’s funny because the actor who delivered the now-famous line didn’t exactly get the joke in the context of the bit.

It’s a classic goof where the hat-wearing Crimson Tide fan flubs the brand’s foundational vocabulary as the team bus arrives for a game is a simple yet unforgettable hook.

The volume of its usage made sure of that.

So, if there’s a TV ad equivalent of a musical earworm, High Tide is it.

Kane did some research before filming, but it’s fair to say he’s never uttered any variation of Roll/High Tide before this gig. His understanding of American football is rather basic.

“Someone blows the whistle,” he said with a smile, “everyone falls over.”

He’s an actor who appeared in small roles on British television — most notably on the BBC show “Ghosts” that has an American adaptation airing on CBS.

Otherwise, he’s best known for appearing on a British radio sketch comedy show called Souvenir Programme.

That’s a long way from Tuscaloosa.

In fact, the commercial was filmed quite a distance from Bryant-Denny Stadium. Just in the other direction.

Before filming in Vancouver, Canada, Kane said his audition process began with a video submitted a self-filmed video. He was then called into an in-person try-out in London with his female co-star in the commercial.

They aced it, and last August, they flew to British Columbia for filming.

“I got a manicure for it,” Kane said. “One day in Vancouver by myself, had a manicure. Then, the next day, shot this about 47 times with a lovely bunch of supporting artists.”

What you can’t see in the ad was the giant canopy Kane remembers serving as a “building-sized umbrella” to protect the shoot from a huge rain storm that hit the set during filming.

Nailing the line was key, and a distinctly British accent wasn’t in the script. He’s just supposed to be a professor, as the frumpy dress shirt and blazer would indicate.

“I didn’t want my accent to confuse people, he said. “Because you only have two words.”

Kane said he tried to channel a fellow Brit, John Oliver for how it should sound.

“So I go, high Tide,” Kane said. “I thought people would hear that and go, oh, he sounds like a bit like John Oliver.”

He also remembers crew members getting autographs from the actors who played the parts of Alabama football players exiting the team bus.

Were they famous players in real life? Kane has no idea.

The commercial’s star didn’t get any keepsakes from his day spent as a confused Alabama football fan.

The script-A hat he awkwardly wore is lost to history, but the lesson learned returned with the actor to London. Among his many jobs, Kane had a role in an immersive experience at a park called Phantom Peak where he leads teams in camp games.

The team’s cheer?

“Roll Tide,” he said with a grin.

“And no one else knew what the heck I was doing,” Kane said.

It’s unclear if the Allstate ad will remain in heavy rotation now that the college football season is over. Kane said he hasn’t heard of any talk about a sequel to seize on the popularity of High Tide.

In terms of the fame, Kane said he’s not been recognized in public for his role in the Allstate ad, mostly because it doesn’t air over there. He has, however, heard from every friend he has in the United States who couldn’t miss the commercial if they tried.

The spot was certainly everywhere during the football season. It was a staple on big-game broadcasts and gained internet fame along the way. The 15-second version of the ad has north of 20 million views on YouTube.

Alabama players visiting Busch Gardens in Tampa this past December were greeted by a fellow guest who shouted “High Tide,” as captured in an AL.com video.

The TikTok version was viewed more than 577,000 times. On Facebook, 826,000 views.

The ad has been debated on the “Commercials I Hate” subreddit. A few times.

It was discussed on message boards including BYU-themed Cougar Board and The Big Spur in South Carolina.

Love it or hate it, you can’t forget it.

And while it may have consumed just one day of Kane’s 50 years on Earth, it could go down as his most viewed contribution to culture.

For that, he’s proud.

“Yeah,” Kane said in a perfectly British accent, “it’s lovely.”

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.