THE RED CHAIR IS STILL HIS… SO WHY IS TOM JONES LEAVING THE VOICE UK?

Sir Tom Jones says he never wanted to leave the singing competition — and now the show has recorded its lowest-ever Saturday audience as fans call for his return.

Sir Tom Jones may be leaving The Voice UK, but the legendary singer is making it clear that walking away from the show was never his choice.

The 86-year-old Welsh music icon has revealed that ITV decided to remove him as a full-time coach after more than a decade with the singing competition. Jones said he was informed of the decision only recently, despite ITV having apparently made the decision some time earlier.

“To be clear, I did not want to leave The Voice as I love the show and really appreciate the audience,” Jones said in a statement addressing his departure.

His comments have added an emotional twist to what ITV had presented as a major refresh for the programme.

TOM JONES SAYS HE DID NOT WANT TO GO

Jones has been part of The Voice UK since its launch in 2012, although he missed one series. Over the years, his presence in the famous red chair became one of the defining features of the programme.

But ahead of the show’s next series, Jones said ITV had decided that he would no longer have a full-time coaching position.

According to Jones, the reason initially given to him involved “financial difficulty with insurance.” He also said ITV had publicly described the change as an attempt to “refresh” the programme with a new coaching line-up.

Jones said he was offered a reduced role that would have involved making appearances without being involved in the competition from the beginning.

He made clear that he was unhappy with the proposal, adding that there was “never a good time to fire an 86-year-old” who was still enjoying his work.

The remarks quickly drew attention from viewers who had watched Jones guide contestants through the competition for years.

ITV CONFIRMS A MAJOR SHAKE-UP

ITV subsequently confirmed its new line-up for Series 15.

Instead of Jones, the famous red chairs will feature Cheryl and rapper Aitch, who will make their coaching debuts. They will join will.i.am and Kelly Rowland, with Rowland returning for her second series.

The broadcaster also announced a new presenting team, with Alesha Dixon and Stacey Solomon taking over hosting duties.

ITV described the new panel as bringing a fresh combination of experience and energy to the programme.

At the same time, the broadcaster paid tribute to Jones, thanking him for his years on The Voice UK and the moments he created with contestants and fellow coaches.

ITV said it had enjoyed working with him and highlighted the contribution he had made to the programme.

The next series is scheduled to air in 2027.

THEN CAME THE RATINGS

The controversy surrounding Jones’ departure has taken on another dimension following the latest audience figures.

The episode broadcast on Saturday, October 3 reportedly attracted around 1.5 million viewers, with industry publication Broadcast recording the programme at that level. Other reports described the figure as the show’s lowest-ever Saturday audience.

That is a dramatic change from the show’s earlier years.

Reports have noted that The Voice UK once attracted audiences of around 8.5 million, highlighting just how much television viewing habits — and the programme’s audience — have changed over the years.

The latest episode also faced a difficult Saturday-night schedule, airing at around 9pm while Strictly Come Dancing was attracting a large audience.

That means the ratings cannot automatically be attributed to one factor or directly blamed on Jones’ departure. Nevertheless, the timing has given fans another reason to question whether ITV’s decision to overhaul the coaching panel will have the desired effect.

FANS WANT THE RED CHAIR BACK

Following news of Jones’ departure, some viewers took to social media to express their disappointment.

For many fans, Jones was more than simply another coach. His decades of experience, distinctive personality and warmth toward contestants helped make him one of the show’s most recognisable figures.

His departure has therefore become part of a much larger debate about what makes The Voice UK work — and whether constantly changing the panel risks losing some of the familiarity that viewers have built up over the years.

Some supporters have even called for ITV to reconsider the decision and bring Jones back.

The reaction is particularly striking because Jones himself has said he still loves the programme.

Rather than announcing a voluntary retirement from television, the singer has portrayed the situation as a decision made by the broadcaster.

THERE MAY STILL BE A ROLE FOR TOM

Although Jones will not be a full-time coach on Series 15, his relationship with ITV may not be completely over.

When the initial controversy emerged, an ITV spokesperson said the broadcaster had loved working with Jones and that discussions were continuing with him and his team about possible involvement in the next series.

That leaves open the possibility that viewers could still see Jones associated with The Voice UK in some form — although ITV’s official announcement for Series 15 does not include him as one of the four coaches.

For fans hoping to see the familiar red chair turn toward a contestant once again, that distinction could be significant.

A NEW ERA FOR THE VOICE UK

The changes coming to The Voice UK represent one of the biggest overhauls in the show’s recent history.

Jones is leaving the coaching panel. Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones are also departing. Emma Willis is moving on from hosting duties, while Cheryl, Aitch, Alesha Dixon and Stacey Solomon are joining the programme in new roles.

Will.i.am remains, while Kelly Rowland returns for another series.

ITV clearly sees the changes as a way to give the format a new identity.

But the latest ratings have added an unexpected question to that strategy.

If the purpose of the shake-up is to bring renewed attention to The Voice UK, viewers will now be watching closely to see whether the new line-up can reverse the programme’s declining audience.

And behind all the ratings, new faces and television strategy is one simple question that fans keep asking:

Could the show ever feel quite the same without Sir Tom Jones in that red chair?

For now, the answer will have to wait until the new series arrives in 2027.

But one thing is already clear: Tom Jones may be leaving the chair, but his place in the history of The Voice UK is not disappearing anytime soon.