diff --git a/backend/main.py b/backend/main.py
index 05626c6..6aa0f33 100644
--- a/backend/main.py
+++ b/backend/main.py
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ from fastapi.responses import JSONResponse
 from fastapi.exceptions import RequestValidationError
 from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
 
+# Import services
+from services.role_detector import RoleDetector
+
 # Configure logging
 logging.basicConfig(
     level=logging.INFO,
@@ -91,9 +94,33 @@ async def general_exception_handler(request: Request, exc: Exception):
         }
     )
 
+# Initialize services
+role_detector = RoleDetector()
+
 # API Endpoints
 @app.get("/api/health")
 async def health_check():
     """Health check endpoint."""
     logger.info("Health check requested")
     return {"status": "ok"}
+
+@app.post("/api/tts/roles", response_model=RolesResponse)
+async def detect_roles(request: RoleDetectionRequest):
+    """
+    Analyzes text and returns detected speaker roles.
+    
+    Supports two pattern types:
+    - Colon pattern: "RoleName:" at line start
+    - Bracket pattern: "[RoleName]" preceding dialogue
+    
+    Returns default "Narrator" role if no patterns found.
+    """
+    logger.info(f"Role detection requested for text of length {len(request.text)}")
+    
+    try:
+        roles = role_detector.detect_roles(request.text)
+        logger.info(f"Detected {len(roles)} roles: {[r['label'] for r in roles]}")
+        return RolesResponse(roles=roles)
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.error(f"Error during role detection: {str(e)}", exc_info=True)
+        raise
diff --git a/backend/services/role_detector.py b/backend/services/role_detector.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5c569fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/services/role_detector.py
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+"""
+Role detection service for identifying distinct speakers in text.
+"""
+import re
+from typing import List, Set, Dict
+
+
+class RoleDetector:
+    """
+    Service for detecting distinct speaker roles in text.
+    
+    Supports two pattern types:
+    1. Colon pattern: "RoleName:" at the start of a line
+    2. Bracket pattern: "[RoleName]" preceding dialogue
+    """
+    
+    # Regex patterns for role detection
+    COLON_PATTERN = r'^([A-Z][a-zA-Z\s]+?):\s'
+    BRACKET_PATTERN = r'\[([A-Z][a-zA-Z\s]+?)\]'
+    DEFAULT_ROLE = "Narrator"
+    
+    def detect_roles(self, text: str) -> List[Dict[str, str]]:
+        """
+        Analyzes text to identify distinct speaker roles.
+        
+        Args:
+            text: Input text to analyze
+            
+        Returns:
+            List of role dictionaries with 'id' and 'label' fields.
+            Returns default "Narrator" role if no patterns found.
+        """
+        if not text or not text.strip():
+            return [{"id": self.DEFAULT_ROLE, "label": self.DEFAULT_ROLE}]
+        
+        # Extract roles from both patterns
+        colon_roles = self._extract_colon_pattern(text)
+        bracket_roles = self._extract_bracket_pattern(text)
+        
+        # Combine and deduplicate
+        all_roles = colon_roles.union(bracket_roles)
+        
+        # If no roles found, return default
+        if not all_roles:
+            return [{"id": self.DEFAULT_ROLE, "label": self.DEFAULT_ROLE}]
+        
+        # Convert to role dictionaries and sort for consistent ordering
+        role_list = [
+            {"id": role.strip(), "label": role.strip()}
+            for role in sorted(all_roles)
+        ]
+        
+        return role_list
+    
+    def _extract_colon_pattern(self, text: str) -> Set[str]:
+        """
+        Extracts roles from "RoleName:" pattern at line starts.
+        
+        Args:
+            text: Input text to analyze
+            
+        Returns:
+            Set of role names found
+        """
+        roles = set()
+        pattern = re.compile(self.COLON_PATTERN, re.MULTILINE)
+        
+        for match in pattern.finditer(text):
+            role_name = match.group(1).strip()
+            if role_name:
+                roles.add(role_name)
+        
+        return roles
+    
+    def _extract_bracket_pattern(self, text: str) -> Set[str]:
+        """
+        Extracts roles from "[RoleName]" pattern.
+        
+        Args:
+            text: Input text to analyze
+            
+        Returns:
+            Set of role names found
+        """
+        roles = set()
+        pattern = re.compile(self.BRACKET_PATTERN)
+        
+        for match in pattern.finditer(text):
+            role_name = match.group(1).strip()
+            if role_name:
+                roles.add(role_name)
+        
+        return roles
diff --git a/backend/test_role_detection.py b/backend/test_role_detection.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a569a89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/test_role_detection.py
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Test script for role detection service."""
+import urllib.request
+import json
+
+
+def test_role_detection(text, expected_roles, description):
+    """Test role detection with given text."""
+    print(f"\nTesting: {description}")
+    print(f"Input text: {text[:100]}..." if len(text) > 100 else f"Input text: {text}")
+    
+    data = json.dumps({"text": text}).encode('utf-8')
+    req = urllib.request.Request(
+        'http://localhost:8001/api/tts/roles',
+        data=data,
+        headers={'Content-Type': 'application/json'}
+    )
+    
+    try:
+        response = urllib.request.urlopen(req)
+        result = json.loads(response.read().decode())
+        roles = [role['label'] for role in result['roles']]
+        
+        print(f"Detected roles: {roles}")
+        print(f"Expected roles: {expected_roles}")
+        
+        if set(roles) == set(expected_roles):
+            print("✓ PASS")
+            return True
+        else:
+            print("✗ FAIL: Roles don't match")
+            return False
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"✗ FAIL: {str(e)}")
+        return False
+
+
+def main():
+    """Run all role detection tests."""
+    print("Testing Role Detection Service...")
+    
+    tests = [
+        # Test colon pattern
+        (
+            "Alice: Hello there!\nBob: Hi Alice!",
+            ["Alice", "Bob"],
+            "Colon pattern extraction"
+        ),
+        # Test bracket pattern
+        (
+            "[Narrator] The story begins.\n[Alice] She said hello.",
+            ["Alice", "Narrator"],
+            "Bracket pattern extraction"
+        ),
+        # Test mixed patterns
+        (
+            "Alice: Hello!\n[Narrator] She waved.\nBob: Hey!",
+            ["Alice", "Bob", "Narrator"],
+            "Mixed colon and bracket patterns"
+        ),
+        # Test deduplication
+        (
+            "Alice: First line.\nAlice: Second line.\nAlice: Third line.",
+            ["Alice"],
+            "Role deduplication"
+        ),
+        # Test empty text
+        (
+            "",
+            ["Narrator"],
+            "Empty text returns default Narrator"
+        ),
+        # Test no role markers
+        (
+            "This is just plain text without any role markers.",
+            ["Narrator"],
+            "No role markers returns default Narrator"
+        ),
+        # Test whitespace only
+        (
+            "   \n\n   ",
+            ["Narrator"],
+            "Whitespace only returns default Narrator"
+        ),
+    ]
+    
+    passed = 0
+    failed = 0
+    
+    for text, expected, description in tests:
+        if test_role_detection(text, expected, description):
+            passed += 1
+        else:
+            failed += 1
+    
+    print(f"\n{'='*50}")
+    print(f"Results: {passed} passed, {failed} failed")
+    print(f"{'='*50}")
+    
+    return failed == 0
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    success = main()
+    exit(0 if success else 1)