Will.i.am is throwing his support behind a growing petition calling for Sir Tom Jones to be reinstated on The Voice UK, after the 86-year-old Welsh icon revealed earlier this month that ITV had let him go as a judge.
The petition, started by longtime superfan Aaron Howlett, 50, has now passed 63,000 signatures. Will.i.am, who has coached alongside Jones since The Voice UK began in 2012, shared the campaign via Change.org on his Instagram, giving it a major boost among his 1.6 million followers.
Jones confirmed on Instagram that his exit was not his choice, saying he "did not want to leave the show" and that he loves it. ITV has called him "irreplaceable" while confirming he will not return as a full-time coach for series 15, with Cheryl and Aitch stepping in as new judges. A spokesperson for the show said, "We continue to talk to Sir Tom and his team about his involvement in the next series."
Howlett, who has followed Jones for four decades, said he was "overwhelmed" by the response. "Sir Tom is one of the last living legends. His voice resonates with so many people, young and old," he said.
Jones, born Thomas John Woodward in Pontypridd, has long credited his voice to something bigger than himself. He's spoken openly about praying on his knees every night and calling his gift for singing "a God-given gift" rooted in the Welsh chapel hymns he grew up singing as a boy - a thread that's run through his music for decades, from gospel standards to his own reflective album Praise and Blame.
Whether the petition changes ITV's plans remains to be seen, but for now, Sir Tom's fellow coach - and tens of thousands of fans - aren't ready to let him go quietly.
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- Sir Tom Jones Says ITV Fired Him From The Voice-And He Is Not Happy About Their Consolation Offer
- ITV Refresh Names Cheryl, Aitch to Join Voice UK, Replacing Tom Jones
