ITV is set to breathe new life into The Voice UK, as the musical talent show moves across from its former home on the BBC. They are banking on the return of the legendary Sir Tom Jones as one of the voice coaches alongside stalwart will.i.am to bolster its position in the key Saturday evening TV ratings battleground, when the energetic programme airs on 7th January.
Backing for new venture
Veteran singer Jones has been quick to provide his backing for the fresh venture and to highlight the mistakes made by Beeb bosses in the past.
He was axed by the BBC before the rival channel stepped in to snatch the show away from them, in what is believed to be a £12 million three-year deal for the rights to the singing extravaganza.
Jones expects commercial success for winner
An excited Jones seemed pleased to be asked back by ITV, commenting that “it was nice to know they felt what happened to me shouldn’t have happened.” Recognising the abject failure of The Voice to produce a major music star so far since its launch in 2012 – unlike the production line that has been The X Factor – he expects that to change. He reasons that “the record company Polydor are more hands on from the beginning of the series” this time.
Emma Willis will host the re-vamped programme but her former co-host Marvin Humes is not expected to feature this time around.
Re-vamped voice coach line-up
Joining Jones once again as a celebrity singing coach will be The Black Eyed Peas star will.i.am. However, the rest of the panel from the BBC’s version of the show seem to have failed to impress ITV’s production team, as Boy George, Paloma Faith and Ricky Wilson have all been discarded.
Instead, new blood will be introduced to add variety to the musical genres represented, as Bush’s lead singer Gavin Rossdale provides the rock music angle and American Jennifer Hudson looks to give a transatlantic feel to proceedings.
Hudson adds glamour
The glamorous Hudson looks to tick most of the essential boxes for a successful judge, having previously appeared on American Idol (although she could only finish 7th in 2004) and has ably demonstrated her acting prowess with an Academy Award for the film Dreamgirls.
Besides featuring in the popular film Sex and the City, the 35-year-old has also fitted in a spell on Broadway in The Color Purple besides showing her soul and R&B credentials with three commercially successful studio albums.