Cheryl was pictured arriving for filming at The Voice UK in Salford, after ITV confirmed she would join the show as a coach amid anger over Tom Jones being dropped from the panel.
The former Girls Aloud star was unveiled as a coach on Friday, marking her return to television after a lengthy break following the death of her ex, Liam Payne.
Cheryl was seen arriving at the studio alongside fellow new coach Aitch, the rapper who has replaced McFly's Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones on the panel.
It has also been confirmed that Stacey Solomon and Alesha Dixon will replace Emma Willis as hosts of The Voice UK. Willis left to take on the presenting role at Strictly Come Dancing, the BBC's rival dancing show. Dixon previously spent 14 years as a judge on Britain's Got Talent.
Tom Jones exit sparks anger behind the scenes
The new series has been overshadowed by controversy since it emerged that Tom Jones would not be returning as a coach. Jones has said the decision was not his, and that ITV fired him because of "a financial difficulty with insurance."
In a statement confirming the new lineup, ITV bosses thanked Jones for his years on the show, calling him "irreplaceable" and saying he "brought joy to audiences, and to every singer who performed for him and with him."
Fellow coach will.i.am, who remains on the panel alongside Kelly Rowland, is reported to have been furious over Jones being dropped, with sources saying he has made his feelings known backstage. A source said the usual welcome drinks at a five-star hotel were replaced this year by an atmosphere of awkwardness, adding that will.i.am was "furious with how producers have handled things."
The source told The Sun it was "pretty uncomfortable for Cheryl, who is close with Will and has looked up to Kelly all her career," adding that Cheryl was being made "the fall guy for taking Sir Tom's seat" despite none of the situation being her fault. The Daily Mail has contacted will.i.am and ITV representatives for comment.
Jones hits back at ITV
Writing on Instagram, Jones said he did not want to leave the show, which he loves, and said he appreciated its audience. He said ITV made the decision "a while ago" and only told him recently, and that the reason given was a financial difficulty with insurance. He said ITV had since told the press it wanted to "refresh" the show with a new coaching lineup that left no chair for him.
Jones added that ITV had offered him a reduced role appearing on the show without being involved from the start, and said he was not thrilled about that. He said the only thing he knew for certain was that "there's never a good time to fire an 86-year-old who's still pretty good at his job."
An ITV spokesman told the Daily Mail: "We have loved working with Sir Tom Jones over the past nine years on The Voice UK. While he will no longer be a full-time coach on series 15, we continue to talk to Sir Tom and his team about his involvement in the next series."
A two-year gap between filming and finals
Series 14 of The Voice UK, currently airing on ITV, has been delayed twice due to scheduling changes. Filming for the pre-recorded blind auditions took place in the first half of 2024, meaning there will be a two-year gap by the time the live finals air in a few weeks. It has not been confirmed whether Jones will appear in the live finale.
An ITV insider had earlier told the Daily Mail that ITV was in talks with Jones and was hopeful he would return. Producers were reportedly in last-minute talks to bring in Cheryl and Aitch, with ITV also keen to retain Rowland, who made her debut on the show this year, and will.i.am, who has been on the panel since the show began. With four coaching chairs filled, there was no room left for Jones.
Not the first time Jones has been dropped
Jones was dropped from the show once before, in 2015, when it aired on the BBC. He had joined as a judge in 2012 before being cut and replaced by Boy George. At the time, he criticised the decision on Facebook as "substandard behaviour from the executives" and said there had been "no consultation or conversation of any kind."
Jones told Radio Times he had been angry at the BBC's decision, saying: "I was p****d off. I never got to the bottom of who made the decision," before adding it was "a kick in the b******s." He said he took some satisfaction when the show's ratings fell in the following series. Jones returned as a judge when the show moved to ITV in 2017. The singing competition has had 11 celebrity coaches over its 14-year run.
Fans and celebrities react
Fans reacted with dismay to the news of Jones' latest departure. One Instagram commenter wrote: "You are the reason people watch this programme, Sir Tom. You are the Voice. Always have been, always will be. I won't watch it if you aren't on it."
Carol Vorderman commented that it was a "terrible decision imho" and said she had seen Jones perform at CarFest, calling him "simply incredible and A LEGEND." Singer Karl Loxley, who was on Jones' team on the show in 2015, called him "an absolute legend and a true gentleman," adding that "The Voice won't be the same without you."
Cheryl's TV comeback
Cheryl, the former Girls Aloud star and X Factor judge, had not appeared on primetime television in six years, with her last outing being as a dance captain on the BBC's The Greatest Dancer in 2020. She is reported to have been in talks with show bosses for months, with filming for the new series beginning on September 11 in Manchester.
The Voice UK attracts roughly two million viewers per week and has produced successful acts including Becky Hill.
