Tom Jones Lashes Out At The BBC Over ‘The Voice' Sacking: ‘This Is Sub-Standard Behaviour From Executives'

Tom Jones Launches A Scathing Attack On The BBC After 'The Voice' Sacking
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Tom Jones has made a strongly worded statement, following the announcement that he won’t be returning to the ‘The Voice UK’ for the next series.

On Friday, it was announced that Boy George and Paloma Faith will be joining the judging panel, and working alongside returning coaches Ricky Wilson and Will.i.am.

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Tom Jones

Tom has now revealed that he’s not happy with the way the BBC have dealt with things, stating that he was only notified about the changes to the show 24 hours before the official announcement was made.

In a post on his Facebook page, Tom writes: “In good faith, as part of the team, I’d put the time in my schedule to be involved in Series 5, as I’ve done so for the last 4 years.

“I’ve supported the show and the BBC since the beginning. I was told yesterday, with no consultation or conversation of any kind, that I would not be returning.”

“This sub-standard behaviour from the executives is very disappointing,” he adds.

Read his full post below:

The BBC have responded to Tom’s post, stating: “The final decision on the coaches line up for series five of ‘The Voice’ was only taken on Wednesday and Tom's team was informed early yesterday morning.

"We then announced it to the press so that it didn't leak. This has been the same every year and no role was ever promised.

"The chemistry between the coaches is extremely important and that they all represent different musical genres and we feel the new line up is exactly what the show needs. We look forward to seeing Tom on BBC One in October with his Children in Need concert.

"Tom hasn't been axed or fired from ‘The Voice’. He was out of contract once series four ended in April and that contract has not been renewed."

The changes come following the departure of Rita Ora, who left the show for ‘X Factor’ after just one series.

Boy George and Paloma have shared their excitement ahead of the new series, which will return to our TV screens this autumn.

'The Voice' UK: Where Are They Now?
Jermain Jackman(01 of12)
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It wasn't until the third series of The X Factor that it found its first international star in winner Leona Lewis. With Jermain Jackman's much-anticipated debut album due for release in March, time will tell if he can be The Voice's first ever break-out star... (credit:Dave J Hogan via Getty Images)
Leanne Mitchell(02 of12)
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Sadly, the show's first ever winner found herself dropped last year, after releasing just one album. Leanne has since blamed the fact her label waited too long after her victory on 'The Voice' in releasing the album for its lack of commercial success, claiming she's happy she didn't "cop out" and release a covers album. (credit:Mike Marsland via Getty Images)
Tyler James(03 of12)
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Tyler "I Was Best Friends With Amy Winehouse" James (she's mentioned six times on his Wikipedia page alone) was a fan-favourite during the first series of 'The Voice', famously performing a duet with will.i.am dangling from the ceiling.Sadly this didn't translate to a fruitful music career and his last offering in 2012 stalled at number 47 in the UK album chart. (credit:REX/Brian Rasic)
Bo Bruce(04 of12)
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Despite having the most commercial success of any of the former 'Voice' stars, Bo hasn't exactly had an easy time since leaving the competition, quitting her record label after two singles due to a "lack of support" and eventually checking into rehab for exhaustion.She's since branded former coach Danny O'Donaghue a "wanker" after admitting that they shared a snog while she was still being mentored by him on the show.Bo collaborated with top DJ Chicane on a dance track last year. (credit:Rex/Jason Sheldon)
Vince Kidd(05 of12)
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Had the people who voted on 'The X Factor' also voted on 'The Voice', Vince would probably have won, and could potentially be one of the biggest faces on the music scene, even three years later.Sadly, this was not the case, and Leanne took the crown while Vince came in fourth place (potentially down to the fact he performed one of Jessie J's lesser-known songs as his 'coaches duet').That said, Vince is still making music, and last year co-wrote and provided vocals for the Alpines' track 'Zero'. (credit:Rex)
Twinnie Lee Moore(06 of12)
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Already a successful musical theatre actress when she auditioned for 'The Voice' in 2012, Twinnie Lee has since focused on her acting career, and made a storm in 'Hollyoaks' when she arrived on the scene as Porsche McQueen in November last year.She also, judging from this photo, loves a good hat. (credit:Rex/Tom Horton)
Jamie Johnson(07 of12)
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After performing with legends like Kylie Minogue and Justin Timberlake in the space of a year thanks to his appearance on 'The Voice', Jamie has now said he's determined to make a splash in America, insisting: "I just don’t want half the cake, I want the whole cake." (credit:Rex/Beretta/Sims)
Leah McFall(08 of12)
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One of the most unanimously-praised 'Voice' contestants ever, kooky and talented Leah is due to release her debut album 'Weird To Wonderful' later this year.She's been in the studio with former mentor, will.i.am, collaborating with him on the track, 'Home'. (credit:Neil Lupin via Getty Images)
Andrea Begley(09 of12)
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Andrea famously caused will.i.am to storm off set when she was announced as winner in 2013, over his act, Leah McFall.Since taking her place on the 'Voice' throne, Andrea has hit the UK top ten with an album of covers, 'The Message'.Last year, she also completed her Masters degree in Law and Governance... which would appear to suggest we won't be hearing a follow-up album for the time being. (credit:Harlem Mepham via Getty Images)
Max Milner(10 of12)
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Don't let that haphazard peace sign deceive you - Max is actually on of the former contestants to still be making music, performing alongside Kaiser Chiefs at the launch of Jaguar's new model last year.He also recently unveiled his latest release, 'Man Overboard'. (credit:Rex/Ray Tang)
Sally Barker(11 of12)
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Sally may not have been the winner of 'The Voice' last year, but she still managed to thrash eventual-champion Jermain Jackman in terms of single sales, charting 15 places higher than him the week after the show ended.Following her success on the show, Sally completed a UK tour at the tail-end of 2014. (credit:Alex Huckle via Getty Images)
Bungle(12 of12)
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From what we can gather, he's still living comfortably with Zippy and George in the 'Rainbow' house, following his brief appearance on 'The Voice' this year. (credit:Rex/Freemantle Media Ltd.)