The Voice UK is preparing for series 15 in 2027 with a coaching panel that no longer includes Sir Tom Jones. ITV has confirmed that the red chairs will be occupied by Will.i.am, Kelly Rowland, Cheryl and Aitch. Alesha Dixon and Stacey Solomon will present. The changes mark one of the most extensive resets in the show’s history on ITV and come after Tom’s removal as a full-time coach and his subsequent decision not to return in a guest role.
Cheryl’s arrival represents a significant television return. The former Girls Aloud member previously served as a judge on The X Factor and has been largely absent from major primetime formats in recent years. Her appointment has been positioned as a key element of the refresh. Aitch, the Manchester rapper, makes his coaching debut. Kelly Rowland returns for a second series after joining the current season, while Will.i.am continues as the longest-serving coach still on the panel. Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones are also departing after the present series, as is host Emma Willis, who is moving to Strictly Come Dancing.
According to reporting in mid-October, producers are looking beyond the new coaches to generate additional interest. The Sun stated that Kelly Rowland is expected to be joined by her former Destiny’s Child bandmate Michelle Williams for parts of the battle stages. A source described the potential mini-reunion, alongside Cheryl’s presence, as the elements the production is now hoping will draw viewers. The same source indicated that efforts to secure Tom’s return in some capacity had not succeeded after negotiations became difficult.
Tom’s absence removes a figure who had been part of the show, on and off, since 2012. His style of feedback—direct, grounded in decades of live performance experience, and often accompanied by anecdotes or short performances—had become a recognisable part of the programme’s tone. The new panel brings a different combination of pop, R&B and hip-hop perspectives. Whether that mix will produce comparable chemistry is one of the questions facing the series as filming proceeds.
ITV’s official announcement in September thanked Tom for his contribution and wished the departing coaches and host well. It described the incoming coaches as ready to discover and celebrate vocal talent from across the country. The statement did not address the specific circumstances of Tom’s exit beyond noting that he would no longer be a full-time coach and that talks about involvement had been taking place. Subsequent reporting has indicated that those talks did not result in his participation even as a guest.
The current series continues on ITV with Tom still appearing as a coach alongside the existing panel. Battle rounds and later stages will therefore still feature him before the full transition takes effect for the 2027 series. Fan reaction to the changes has been mixed, with a peтιтion earlier in the autumn calling for his reinstatement and some viewers expressing concern about the direction of the format. Ratings reports in early October noted lower figures for at least one episode, though multiple factors, including scheduling, were mentioned.
The production’s reported strategy—emphasising Cheryl’s return and a possible Destiny’s Child appearance—suggests an attempt to offset the loss of a long-standing coach with high-profile moments and new personalities. How audiences respond once series 15 reaches the screen will determine whether the refresh achieves its intended effect. For the moment, the red chairs for 2027 are set without Sir Tom Jones, and the programme is moving forward on that basis.
