The Voice UK Series 2: Judges To 'Steal' Contestants In New Changes

'The Voice' Gets Mean

The Voice UK is to get tough in series two, as the BBC confirms changes to the rules.

The singing contest, which launched last year, will see will.i.am, Jessie J, Sir Tom Jones and Danny O'Donoghue return as coaches.

The Voice coaches

The 'steal' twist will be introduced in the battle rounds and will allow judges one chance to recruit losers of the head-to-head battles to their teams.

Coaches will have an allotted period of time to decide whether to press the buttons on their spinning red chairs and 'steal' the singer.

If more than one coach attempts to 'steal', the power will shift back to the artist to decide whose team they want to join

A new 'knockout' stage will also be brought in prior to the live shows.

The coaches will have seven team members each - the six they recruited at the blind auditions, plus their one 'stolen' contestant.

After each hopeful has sung their 'killer song' the coaches will pick their three members to go through to the live shows.

BBC bosses were reportedly keen to shake-up the show after the first series of 'The Voice' experienced a spectacular drop in viewers after its early stages - with the semi-final drawing just half the audience that the show had managed at its peak.

However, 'The Voice' is still said to be BBC One's biggest new entertainment show on record, with an average 9.2 million viewers across the series, including viewers on catch-up.

Last year's final was won by Leanne Mitchell, who had been coached by Sir Tom. She won a recording deal with music giant Universal.

'The Voice' is expected to launch on BBC One in mid-March.

PHOTOS: The Voice judges last series...

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