ITV has released a statement calling Sir Tom Jones "irreplaceable" after axing the 86-year-old singer from The Voice UK, in the same announcement that confirmed Cheryl and Aitch as his replacements on the coaching panel.
The broadcaster said on Friday: "ITV would like to thank the irreplaceable Sir Tom Jones for all his years on The Voice UK, and the countless incredible and unforgettable moments he gave the show. He has brought joy to audiences, and to every singer who performed for him and with him."
Cheryl, 43, and Aitch, 26, will join existing coaches Kelly Rowland and will.i.am on the panel. They replace McFly's Tom Fletcher, 41, and Danny Jones, 40, who shared one coaching chair and have stepped down from the show.
The new series began filming on Friday in Manchester and is due to air in 2027. It will be hosted by Alesha Dixon and Stacey Solomon, who take over from Emma Willis after she moved to BBC rival Strictly Come Dancing.
Tension behind the scenes
Sources say the mood on set has been overshadowed by the row surrounding Jones's exit. Filming would normally begin with welcome drinks at a five-star hotel, but one source said this year "things are different."
"It's seriously awkward as will.i.am is furious with how producers have handled things and is making his feelings known behind the scenes," the source told The Sun. They added: "It's pretty uncomfortable for Cheryl, who is close with Will and has looked up to Kelly all her career. This is her big TV comeback and right now ITV are letting her be the fall guy for taking Sir Tom's seat. None of this is her fault, it's been handled atrociously by the bosses."
The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for will.i.am and ITV for comment.
Tom Jones hits out at ITV
On Tuesday, Jones issued a furious statement insisting he "did not want to leave The Voice." Posting on Instagram, he wrote: "To be clear, I did not want to leave The Voice as I love the show and really appreciate the audience. ITV made this decision, obviously a while ago, and I was told just recently."
He said he had been told the decision was down to "a financial difficulty with insurance," adding that ITV had since told the press it wanted to "refresh" the show, leaving no chair for him. He said he had been offered "a much-reduced role where I would make an appearance but without being actually involved from the start, and I'm not thrilled about that." He added: "So the only thing I know right now, is that there's never a good time to fire an 86-year-old who's still pretty good at his job."
An ITV spokesman told the Daily Mail: "We have loved working with Sir Tom Jones over the past nine years on The Voice UK. While he will no longer be a full-time coach on series 15, we continue to talk to Sir Tom and his team about his involvement in the next series."
Scheduling delays and a two-year gap
Series 14 of The Voice UK, currently airing on ITV, has already been delayed twice because of scheduling changes. The pre-recorded auditions were filmed in the first half of 2024, meaning there will be a two-year gap by the time the live finals air in the coming weeks. It has not been confirmed whether Jones will appear at the live finale.
An insider had told the Daily Mail on Monday that "ITV absolutely loves working with Sir Tom. They are in talks with him and are hopeful he will return to the series," before the broadcaster's Friday statement confirmed Cheryl and Aitch had taken the two vacant chairs. An insider said producers had been in last-minute talks to bring in the pair, with ITV keen to retain Kelly Rowland, who joined the show this year, and will.i.am, a coach since the first series alongside Jones.
Not the first time Jones has been axed
This is not the first time Jones has been dropped from The Voice. He was cast as a judge on the BBC version in 2012 but was cut in 2015 and replaced by Boy George. At the time he criticised executives on Facebook, saying there had been "no consultation or conversation of any kind" and calling the decision "very disappointing."
Speaking to the Radio Times afterwards, he said he had been left angry by the decision. "I was p****d off. I never got to the bottom of who made the decision," he said, adding: "Well of course, that's a kick in the b******s." He said he had taken some satisfaction when ratings for the show fell in the following series. The Voice moved to ITV in 2017, when Jones was brought back as a coach. The show has had 11 celebrity coaches across its 14-year run.
New hosts and fan reaction
Stacey Solomon and Alesha Dixon have been confirmed as the show's new hosts, replacing Emma Willis. Dixon has previously spent 14 years as a judge on Britain's Got Talent.
Jones's exit prompted a wave of support online. One Instagram user wrote: "You are the reason people watch this programme, Sir Tom. You are the Voice. Always have been, always will be. I won't watch it if you aren't on it... It's a stupid decision they will regret!"
Carol Vorderman called it a "terrible decision imho," adding: "I saw you perform at Car Fest and you remain simply incredible and A LEGEND You ARE The Voice." Singer Karl Loxley, who was on Jones's team during the 2015 series, wrote: "The best thing about being on The Voice was getting the chance to work with you. An absolute legend and a true gentleman... The Voice won't be the same without you."
Cheryl, a Girls Aloud member and former X Factor judge, has not appeared on primetime television in six years, her last outing being as a dance captain on the BBC's The Greatest Dancer in 2020. She is said to have been in talks with show bosses "for months" before filming began in Manchester on 11 September. The Voice UK attracts roughly two million viewers a week and counts Becky Hill among its past successes.
