ITV has been plunged into crisis after Sir Tom Jones released a blistering statement attacking the broadcaster over the shambolic handling of his departure from The Voice UK.
I exclusively revealed last night how the legendary singer, 86, who’s been on the panel for 13 years, was being put out to pasture to make way for “fresher talent”.
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My well-placed insiders told me ITV knew they were making this decision two months ago but, as Sir Tom confirmed himself, they waited until just recently to inform him of the move.
The execution of ITV’s delivery of the news to Sir Tom was, my source told me, described by staffers as “messy…to say the least”.
My insider added: “There’s kicking the can down the road – and there’s ITV’s handling of this. Frankly it feels shambolic.
“Tom’s fans, who watch The Voice UK to see him, are furious and in a world where terrestrial viewing figures are in the drain – losing a core part of your audience is a nightmare. Change has to happen, of course, but if this had been handled better – it wouldn’t have come to this.”
Tom’s statement was on par with Coleen Rooney’s “… It was Rebekah Vardy’s account” that sparked the so-called “Wagatha Christie” scandal.
With just 124 words, at 12:10pm today, Sir Tom dropped a metaphorical nuclear bomb as he declared war on the channel he has called home for over a decade.
The post came just 16 hours after I broke the news that he had been axed from the show.
“To be clear, I did not want to leave The Voice as I love the show and really appreciate the audience,” Sir Tom wrote in a statement posted on his social media accounts.
“ITV made this decision – obviously a while ago, and I was just told recently. The reason given is because of a financial difficulty with insurance. 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.”
He continued: “They are making a much-reduced role where I would make an appearance but without being actually involved from the start, and I’m not thrilled about that.
“So the only thing I know right now, is that there’s never a good time to fire an 86-year-old who’s still pretty good at his job.”
I was sent Sir Tom’s statement from an industry friend less than a minute after it appeared on his Instagram account. I’m not ashamed to admit I let out an audible gasp as I scanned the statement in disbelief.
Being the journalist who broke the story of Tom’s axe last night, I’m not surprised he feels hard done by.
The world of showbiz is a cut-throat and treacherous place at times, and we’ve watched as a series of ageing stars have slowly started losing their jobs over the years across all mainstream channels.
I’m now told The Voice UK’s overhaul of their coaching panel has descended into a public mudslinging match – and I think we all know who is going to come out on top.
My sources told me there had been a series of frantic phone calls going around ITV and the production team over the past few days as panic over the fallout from Tom’s departure started to spread.
Staff, I am told, expected there may be backlash from upset fans, but no one could have predicted he would speak out.
“Sir Tom, and his team, are not happy about the handling of this,” my source explained. You can feel the anger in his words. That statement was written very carefully and meticulously.
“It alludes to his age becoming an issue, mixed with the financial crisis everyone knows ITV is facing. This statement will not be the end of this.”
A second insider I spoke to added: “Bosses know how loyal Sir Tom’s fanbase is and feared a backlash but this is on another scale.
“They adore Tom but felt Cheryl Tweedy would be better suited taking his seat. Talks were ongoing with both of them but everyone knew Tom was the backup option in case Cheryl fell through.
“The fact he had no idea was shocking. You’d have thought conversations would have been happening. Clearly not.”
Negotiations for talent on The Voice UK always go down to the wire.
I’m told Olly Murs didn’t technically sign on for one of his series until the day before filming was due to commence.
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At the heart of all this is Cheryl, who producers have been obsessed with signing as a coach for years.
Talks to sign the Girls Aloud star have happened in the past but they never came to anything.
This all changed last month, and I exclusively reported on the fact Cheryl’s deal was as “good as done” after months of drawn out negotiations.
It was a story I had nervously sat on since June, holding on for as long as possible until I knew talks were so advanced the chances of them collapsing were tiny.
In that same month I was also told The Voice UK execs had privately agreed to remove Sir Tom from the panel.
In the weeks that followed, my insiders told me the “usually easy” talks with Sir Tom had slowed – with staffers accusing bosses of appearing to try and find any excuse they could to kick the can down the road.
In tandem, I understand that talks with Cheryl gained momentum – with the prize of bringing the nation’s sweetheart back to the small screen within touching distance.
Of course none of this is Cheryl’s fault.
She would have had no idea what was happening behind the scenes and after meeting her previously, I know that her kind-hearted nature would make her horrified to see what has played out today.
And I would not be surprised if a kindly phone call was made from Cheryl to Sir Tom in the coming days.
Right now, I understand ITV are trying to work out how to control the crisis which has unfolded.
My source added: “ITV absolutely loves Sir Tom which could be why the handling was so badly done. Who wants to tell one of your best panellists that he’s going out of the door?
“It’s an incredibly uncomfortable situation. But ultimately, it was one that needed to be handled – not ignored.”
A spokesperson for the show said: “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.”
Sir Tom’s statement came just six hours before the great and good of the industry will gather at the National Television Awards at London’s O2 Arena.
The event is notoriously gossip-heavy thanks to the free-flowing booze, which loosens the lips of telly executives and staffers who are keen to let off steam on their biggest night of the year.
It doesn’t take a psychic to predict what they’re all going to be talking about…