The Voice UK returned with another round of blind auditions, and the emotional highlight came when coach will.i.am broke down in tears while paying tribute to his fellow coach, Sir Tom Jones, calling him a "gift" to us all.
In a clip shared on The Voice UK Instagram, the Black Eyed Peas singer was visibly emotional as he addressed the 85-year-old music legend. With tears rolling down his face, will.i.am said: "I am trying to make sense of my emotions right now. We just felt like, the most purest of hearts. 85 years of every experience you can think of in this man's sponge of a soul, and he rinsed it out for us. And we bathed in it."
He added: "Thank you, Sir Tom Jones, for these moments, and I cherish these moments, Tom, and you are a gift to us all." Sir Tom, who also had tears in his eyes, replied emotionally: "I cherish everybody in this room."
Sir Tom reflects on being 85 and still singing
In another clip shared on Instagram, Sir Tom reflected on his age and his ability to still perform. The show's newest coach, Kelly Rowland, kicked things off by pointing out, "85 years young," to which Sir Tom responded, "Oh, 85 years young."
As the audience erupted in cheers, Kelly remarked: "You've seen, heard so much. You have been around the world how many times? You know what I mean?" Sir Tom then confessed: "I just love the fact that I can still sing," as reported by Wales Online. Kelly replied: "Amen. Your voice changes, and it continues to evolve. But yours is so strong, when you're singing, it is so strong."
This is a sentiment Sir Tom has spoken about candidly before. In a 2024 interview with Yours Magazine, he discussed how his vocal cords have changed over time.
Sir Tom's candid comments on his vocal evolution
In that interview, Sir Tom said: "My voice is lower now. As we get older, our voices drop and we get more character in them. The older you get, the less control you have over your vocal chords." He continued: "All you have got to do is push it harder... and I can still do that. I can still sing and I can prove it, so here it is."
Despite many performers retiring at his age, Sir Tom insists he has no intention of stopping while he is still able to sing.
Fans heap praise on the legendary singer
Fans flocked to the comments section to heap praise on Sir Tom. One wrote: "Sir Tom is sensational, his voice is truly phenomenal. Seeing him in concert is mind-blowing; he is breathtaking."
Another commented: "85 years young and still incredibly handsome, with that unmistakable voice, charm, and presence. Some legends don't age - they simply become more iconic." A third added: "Sir Tom still has a fantastic voice! I saw him last month in Lucca, and I was very thrilled. Your music and your voice are a balm for the soul!"
The Voice UK airs at 7pm on ITV.
