Looks like VM were only ever going to implement it on the Horizon 360 platform and only via a tablet or smartphone.
From May 2019 OFCOM report.
Quote:
3.4 This is a key accessibility feature for those with more serious sight impairment. No provider currently provides full TTS capability in their standalone set-top boxes.
3.5 Virgin Media confirmed their aim is to deliver this feature, alongside the other features we specify in the EPG Code, in their next generation platform (‘Horizon’) by the second half of 2020.
3.6 Digital UK and Freesat currently provide this feature through a number of smart TVs including LG and Panasonic models. Digital UK is working with manufacturers to include this feature within future releases.9 (see ‘Market Context’ below).
3.7 Most providers (BT, Digital UK, Freesat, Virgin Media, YouView and Sky) have either developed or begun investigating TTS offered via a second screen device (e.g. tablet or smartphone).
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At that time VM was the only provider to get the nearest to a full tick in each column of accessibility features, although the talking EPG is available via tablet or smartphone.
Managed to get it working using VMs TV Control App on a Samsung Galaxy Tab A. Had to keep remembering to double-tap instead of single-tap to actually "press a button" and not activate text to speech for that item.
So it has been there for VM for a little while.
In theory, EPG Text to Speech is available using in-built TTS for any online EPG source, although you wouldn't be able to set recordings with them.