Olly Murs joins the superstar panel of coaches on the new series of ITV’s The Voice UK


The Voice's will.i.am: 'Olly Murs will add a fun new twist to this year’s coaches team'

Olly Murs joins will.i.am, Sir Tom Jones and Jennifer Hudson to complete the superstar panel of coaches on the new series of ITV’s The Voice UK

*Emma Willis returns as host 

*Jamie Miller – a finalist on the last series – joins as backstage reporter for The Voice UK's digital platforms 

*The Voice UK returns to ITV early next year 

Pop sensation Olly Murs is joining will.i.am, Sir Tom Jones and Jennifer Hudson to complete The Voice UK’s panel of superstar coaches as the search for a new vocal talent returns to ITV. 

Olly – who has notched up four UK No.1 albums and four No.1 singles – will climb into his red chair for the first time this weekend when the Blind auditions kick off in Salford. 

The Essex lad first found fame on fellow ITV talent show The X Factor, coming second in 2009, and has since gone on to sell more than 17 million records worldwide. 

His most recent album 24 Hrs hit the No.1 spot last November while this year he has played two consecutive tours selling in excess of 600,000 tickets. 

Olly said: “I'm absolutely buzzing about being a coach on The Voice UK and can't wait to sit in the big red chair alongside will, Jennifer and Tom. 

"I'm excited to mentor new artists and without doubt, I'm in it to WIN!" 

Singer, songwriter, producer and entrepreneur will.i.am returns for his seventh series – the only coach to appear on The Voice UK since the very beginning. 

Will – who also appeared as a coach on the first series of The Voice Kids on ITV in the summer - is one of the most successful artists in the world, notching up 39 top 40 entries and selling more than 12 million singles in the UK alone. 

He has produced international artists including Justin Bieber, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Cheryl and Nicky Minaj while his group The Black Eyed Peas have sold more than 76 million records globally and won seven Grammy Awards. 

will.i.am said: “There was some amazing talent on The Voice Kids during the summer and now it’s time for the grown-ups auditioning for The Voice season 7 to really step up their game. 

"I'm excited to sit alongside Jennifer and Tom again this year, and I know that Olly will add a fun new twist to this year’s coaches team.” 

Legendary artist Sir Tom Jones has had huge success in a career spanning six decades, selling more than 100 million records and clocking up 36 Top 40 hits in the UK and 19 in the US. 

The recipient of Brit Awards for Best Male and Outstanding Contribution to Music as well as a Grammy, Sir Tom’s music career started in 1965 with the worldwide hit It’s Not Unusual and continues with great critical and popular success to this day.  

He was awarded an OBE in 1999 and received a Knighthood for services to music in 2006. 

Sir Tom said: “I’m really looking forward to getting back into my big red chair alongside the other coaches for the next The Voice UK. 

“I’m so proud of my discovery from last season, Into the Ark, so I’m excited to hear and see what undiscovered talent the UK has to offer this series.” 

Grammy, Oscar and Bafta-winnng artist Jennifer Hudson returns after winning the 2017 series with her act Mo and fresh from her current stint as a coach on The Voice’s US version, the first time a coach has ever appeared on two different versions of the show at the same time. 

The singer, movie star and Broadway actress first found fame after her breakout Academy Award-winning performance in Dreamgirls, which followed her finalist-run on American Idol. She went on to make her recording debut with her self-titled album, selling millions of copies worldwide and garnering her first Grammy Award. 

Her subsequent albums, films and television roles kept her in the Billboard Top 10 and earned multiple awards and attention. Her Broadway debut in the 2015/2016 musical revival of The Color Purple garnered her another Grammy win. 

Jennifer said: “I am so excited to be returning to The Voice UK alongside this talented group of coaches! 

“I loved my time as a coach last season and was so proud of Team JHUD and our winner Mo Adeniran – it was an incredible journey. 

“The UK has always felt like a home away from home for me and I can’t wait to be back discovering new talent on season 7!” 

Emma Willis again returns to present The Voice UK after completing hosting duties on The Voice Kids in the summer. 

She said: “I love this time of year because, if I’m lucky enough to get invited back, it means I get to eavesdrop in on some of the most sensational singing talent that this country has to offer whilst hanging out with the megastar coaches. 

“It’s an absolute treat to get to work on The Voice UK, I love every minute of it, and I can’t wait to get started." 

The show also welcomes back Jamie Miller, a finalist on the last series, as the new backstage reporter, bringing all the behind the scenes gossip to The Voice UK’s digital platforms. 

Since appearing on the show, Jamie has signed a US recording deal with Atlantic Records, home of Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and Bruno Mars. 

He said: “I'm so excited to be back, but this time on the other side watching people achieve their dreams. The Voice UK was always something so close to my heart so to return as the backstage reporter is incredible!” 

This year’s winner will again scoop a recording contract with music giants Polydor, home to global stars Take That and Ellie Goulding as well as the UK’s biggest breakthrough artists including The 1975 and Years & Years.  

Siobhan Greene, Head of Entertainment, ITV, said: “It's fantastic to finally reveal the coaching line up for the new series of The Voice UK; returning champion and THE voice Miss Jennifer Hudson, the legend that is Sir Tom Jones and the one and only will.i.am.  

“And this year we welcome Olly Murs, a pop star at the top of his game who I know will bring his incredible energy, charm and personality. The panel really has got it in bucket loads and I can't wait to see what happens next." 

The new series of The Voice UK will air on ITV early next year. It is an ITV Studios production of a Talpa format. 

Notes to editors: *Last year’s first series of The Voice UK on ITV averaged 5.6 million viewers and a 24 per cent audience share while its share of 16 to 34 year olds grew by 10 per cent on the previous year. It increased ITV’s Saturday prime time performance for those weeks by 17 per cent in volume and 21 per cent in share. *Winner Mo is currently in the studio recording his debut album, which is due for release early next year. His song from the final, Unsteady, hit No.3 in the iTunes chart while his debut EP Globetrotter went straight to No.5 on the iTunes album chart.   

October 12, 2017 4:57pm ET by ITV Press Centre  

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