Sir Tom Jones has stated that he did not want to leave the television show "The Voice," expressing that he "loves the show." He claims ITV made the decision to "fire" him from the judging panel.
The 86-year-old Welsh singer has been an on-off coach on the competition since its debut in 2012. Following speculation about his potential return for the upcoming series, Sir Tom indicated that the broadcaster had decided some time ago and he was informed recently.
In a social media post, Jones explained that the reason given for his departure was financial difficulty with insurance. He also noted that ITV has since stated they wished to "refresh" the show, implying there would be no place for him with a new coaching lineup. Jones mentioned he was offered a reduced role, involving an appearance without full participation from the beginning, which he was not pleased with. "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," he wrote.
ITV has been approached for comment. Prior to this, a source from the show had told the Press Association that ITV was "hopeful" the singer would return for its upcoming series, stating they "absolutely love working with Sir Tom" and were in talks with him.
In the most recent series of "The Voice UK," Sir Tom coached alongside musicians Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones, and Will.i.am, as well as singer Kelly Rowland. During his tenure on the program, he has mentored three winners: Leanne Mitchell in the first series, Ruti Olajugbagbe in series seven, and Anthonia Edwards in series 11. The program's 2027 series was scheduled to begin production soon.