Sir Tom Jones had the perfect send-off during his final appearance on The Voice UK, as his act Kate McHugh was crowned the winner following his shock departure from the ITV singing competition.
The legendary 86-year-old singer appeared in Saturday night’s final, marking the end of his 13-year stint as one of the show’s coaches. His departure came after The Sun exclusively revealed in September that he had been dropped as a full-time coach as part of a major shake-up.
Despite the disappointment surrounding his exit, Tom had something to celebrate as Kate, the contestant he had mentored throughout the competition, emerged victorious.
However, the emotional moment was bittersweet for viewers, many of whom were left devastated by the prospect of never seeing the music legend return to his familiar red coaching chair.
One fan took to X to express their sadness, writing: “It’s sad after this episode Tom won’t be a coach anymore.
He’s been fantastic for years. He’s a proper gent. Will be missed. Shame on you @itv#thevoiceuk.”
Another viewer shared their sympathy for the singer, adding: “Poor Sir Tom Jones. Watching him in the final, knowing he had no idea it would be his last time sitting in that coach chair…”
The final also marked the last appearance of McFly bandmates Danny Jones and Tom Fletcher, who had decided to leave the programme.
All three departing coaches are set to be replaced by Cheryl and Aitch, who have already been busy filming the upcoming series.
They will join returning coach will.i.am and Destiny’s Child star Kelly Rowland, who made her debut on this year’s competition.
Tom’s departure from the programme was first revealed in September, when it emerged that ITV had decided not to renew his position as a full-time coach after 13 years.
The broadcaster reportedly hoped to keep him involved through occasional appearances, even offering him a potential “super guest judge” role for next year’s series. However, Tom ultimately turned down the proposal.
An insider previously revealed that the situation had become increasingly difficult, claiming: “It all got pretty messy and Tom and his team were furious about how things played out.”
The source continued: “ITV had hoped he would return in some capacity, but it isn’t happening.”
Tom himself also addressed the decision publicly, making it clear that leaving the programme had never been his choice.
In a statement shared on Instagram, he told fans: “To be clear, I did not want to leave The Voice as I love the show and really appreciate the audience.”
He went on to explain that ITV had made the decision some time earlier, although he had only recently been informed.
“The reason given is because of a financial difficulty with insurance,” he explained.
Addressing ITV’s subsequent comments about refreshing the programme, Tom added: “They now say in the press they wanted to ‘refresh’ the show, and with a new coaching line-up there wouldn’t be a chair for me.”
Although his time as a regular coach has come to an end, Tom’s final episode delivered a memorable moment, with his act taking home the trophy.
For the singer, Kate’s victory provided a fitting conclusion to his 13-year journey on the show, even as fans continued to question ITV’s decision to part ways with one of its longest-serving coaches.