‘Girl band royalty’ new favourite to replace Sir Tom Jones on The Voice

ITV has reportedly found a replacement for Sir Tom Jones on The Voice UK, after he claimed he has been fired from the show.

The 86-year-old singer has served as an on-off coach since the show’s 2012 debut and has made it clear that he did not want to leave the programme, but the decision was made due to a ‘financial difficulty with insurance’.

Cheryl is said to be the famous face taking up Sir Tom’s spare seat on the show, in what would be her primetime TV return, after a long-running stint as a coach on The X Factor.

If the reports are true, the former Girls Aloud star will join rapper will.i.am and Kelly Rowland, as well as rapper Aitch, who is said to be replacing McFly duo Danny Jones and Tom Fletcher.

A source told The Sun: ‘Everyone loves Sir Tom but there was a feeling that the upcoming series needed a major refresh. With Aitch and Cheryl coming on board and Kelly returning with will.i.am, there just wasn’t a seat going.’

It would also be a huge milestone for the show, as the first time two women were on the judging panel at once.

Cheryl’s fans have been left ecstatic at the prospect of the 43-year-old’s return to TV, having most recently served as a coach on The Greatest Dancer in 2020. 

@cheryl_mixer wrote on X: ‘Okay but let’s talk about how iconic it is for Cheryl (Girls Aloud) & Kelly (Destiny’s Child) to be on The Voice together!! Girl band royalty right there!!’

Meanwhile, @CherylDaily wrote: ‘We are so excited about this news and cannot wait for her TV comeback…. CHEZZA IS BACK!!’

Cheryl previously appeared on The Voice in 2012, when she performed Call My Name on stage and did a swan dive as part of the act – although she was also forced to fend off accusations of lip-syncing the track.

It had been reported by The Sun that ITV was ‘plotting’ a way for Sir Tom to be involved in the programme regardless, but in an explosive statement posted to X, he appeared to throw cold water on the plans. 

Sir Tom said he was ‘not thrilled’ about what ITV offered him instead of being a coach, writing: ‘They now say in the press they wanted to “refresh” the show, and with a new coaching line-up, there wouldn’t be a chair for me.

‘They are offering 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.

‘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.’

Metro contacted ITV and Cheryl for comment on this story.

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