Sir Tom Jones was just as shocked at the rest of us when he found out in August that he would not be returning for the 5th season of BBC talent show The Voice, considering nobody actually let him know he hadn’t been hired for another year.
But the Delilah singer has revealed in an interview with The Times exactly what he said to say to the BBC.
Tom explain:
“I said, 'I don't give a f*ck.' I enjoyed it, but if they don't want me any more, they can go f*ck themselves."
You said it!
The Welsh legend had been a part of the show since the first series in 2012, but was replaced this summer by Boy George, without being given a warning that’d he’d been axed before the news was made public.
In the interview, Tom also said:
“What a cold place the BBC is. Sometimes you wonder whether it’s run by humans or a machine in a basement."
Back in August, not long after the announcement, Tom responding to the news on Facebook. He said:
“About The Voice UK: In good faith, as part of the team, I’d put the time in my schedule to be involved in Series 5, as I’ve done so for the last 4 years. I’ve supported the show and the BBC since the beginning. I was told yesterday, with no consultation or conversation of any kind, that I would not be returning.
“Having been through plenty of transformations throughout the years, I support and admire creative change. But being informed, as a matter of duty and respect, is an important part of creative relationships. This sub-standard behaviour from the executives is very disappointing.
“I will always admire the courage of the performers who participate in the show, as well as all the production staff who worked tirelessly to make a great family viewing experience for the audience at home. I wish the show well."
But clearly the actual conversation he had with the BBC did not go down in quite the same way…