Tom Jones Says He Was Fired From The Voice UK and Did Not Want to Leave

Tom Jones says he did not choose to leave The Voice UK.

The 86-year-old Welsh singer addressed his future on the ITV singing competition Tuesday (Sept. 8) by sharing on Instagram that he was informed he would no longer serve as a full-time coach on the upcoming 15th season.

According to Jones, ITV made the decision and cited financial difficulty with insurance as the reason. He also stated the network later described the change as an effort to refresh the coaching lineup.

Jones clarified that he would have preferred to remain in his coaching role, writing that he loves the show and truly appreciates the audience. He noted that ITV offered him a smaller position involving appearances on the program without being part of the competition from the outset, an arrangement he was not enthusiastic about.

“There’s never a good time to fire an 86-year-old who’s still pretty good at his job,” Jones concluded.

An ITV spokesperson tells Billboard, “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 Jones and his team about his involvement in the next series.”

Jones has been a fixture of The Voice UK since its 2012 debut, aside from sitting out one season, and he has coached three winners during his tenure. He currently appears on the show’s 14th season alongside will.i.am, Kelly Rowland, McFly’s Tom Fletcher, and Danny Jones.

The television role is one of many accomplishments for Jones over his nearly seven-decade career. He scored his first Billboard Hot 100 top 10 with “It’s Not Unusual,” which reached No. 10 in 1965. That same year, “What’s New Pussycat?” climbed to No. 3. In 1966, he won a Grammy for best new artist.

Jones’ exact role in the next season of The Voice UK remains unclear while he and ITV continue discussions.