+the news

Will.i.am voices doubt over a return to The Voice

Written by . Published: March 26 2016

will.i.am may not return as a judge on the U.K. version of The Voice.

The rapper and producer, who has acted as a judge on all five seasons of the BBC singing contest, has indicated that he won't return next year, unless show bosses bring back the original line-up of judges.



According to British newspaper The Sun, the 41-year-old preferred the first two seasons of The Voice when he starred alongside singer Jessie J, 27, Welsh icon Sir Tom Jones, 75, and The Script star Danny O’Donoghue, 36.


Jessie and Danny, who Will collaborated with, left the show in 2013, while Sir Tom left last year (15).


“If they come back, I’d come back. All the originals," he said, adding that he believed the show will struggle to find a superstar as the show's concept had taken a hit by people being able to launch their music careers online.


He said: “You don’t need The Voice to have ten million Instagram followers. It makes me sad that it isn’t about talent anymore.”


In the fifth season of the show, the former Black Eyed Peas member was joined by Only Love Can Hurt Like This singer Paloma Faith, 34, British pop star Boy George and Kaiser Chief frontman and show regular Ricky Wilson.


In November last year (15), the BBC announced that the fifth series of The Voice UK will be their last.


That same month, ITV announced they had acquired the rights to air The Voice UK for three additional series, as well as plans for two series of The Voice Kids and a spin-off series to air on ITV2, to begin screening next year (17).

Error! Unable to retrieve any Images!