Sir Tom Jones has returned to social media for the first time since LeAnn Rimes quit The Voice UK after just one series.
The Can't Fight the Moonlight hitmaker stepped down from the panel of the talent show to focus on her career in America, it's believed. This includes serving as a mega-mentor alongside Sheryl Crow on the US version of The Voice.
The 42-year-old singer joined the UK show last year alongside Will.i.am, Sir Tom and McFly's Danny Jones and Tom Fletcher. She previously served as a coach on The Voice Australia, winning that season with her act Reuben De Melo.
A source said of the decision: "LeAnn loved her time on the UK show, but wants to focus on her career in the States. She was hugely popular with cast and crew and everybody loved having her as part of the team."
LeAnn may have hinted at her departure in a recent Instagram post, writing: "Thank you all for making April full of love, laughter, and connection. May, I am SO ready for you and the exciting new journey I am about to embark on! Stay tuned..."
She also recently posted on Threads that she was "making a very big life/career decision" on something "completely new and different."
ITV The Voice: LeAnn Rimes and Sir Tom Jones starred opposite one another in the 2024 series
ITV
The 14th series of The Voice UK will begin filming later this summer with a familiar panel of judges returning. Will.i.am and Sir Tom, who have been consistent fixtures on the show, will be back for another series.
McFly's Jones and Fletcher will also return as a duo, following their success last year. The pair mentored Ava Mannings to victory in the 2024 series.
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ITV The Voice: LeAnn Rimes has quit the show after one series
ITV
According to reports, all three male judges are set to remain on the panel despite Rimes's departure, while a spokesperson for the programme has declined to comment on the line-up changes.
Sir Tom has since returned to Instagram, but rather than comment on Rimes and her decision to quit the ITV show, the Sexbomb hitmaker focussed on more positive news.
The 84-year-old shared a series of complimentary posts from concertgoers who'd attended a gig he'd performed in New Orleans over the weekend.
Ignoring Rimes's departure, Sir Tom instead published a post from a fan who penned: "Tom Jones was AMAZING!!! He performed for 2 hours straight & his voice was still as strong & clear as always. He will be 85 next month!!! If he comes near you run don’t walk!!!!! @realsirtomjones @saengernola #tomjones #nola #concert."
Sir Tom also shared a similar fan post that read: "Man, I love me some @realsirtomejones," followed by love heart and clapping emojis.
The legendary crooner went on to share a snippet from his appearance on another former The Voice coach's TV show. He published a clip of himself and Gavin Rossdale on the latter's talk show, Dinner with Gavin Rossdale.
Following Rimes's exit, ITV show bosses are currently searching for a female replacement to join the all-star line-up.
The source added to The Sun on Sunday: "Producers know they've had some amazing names so far, from Olly Murs to Anne-Marie, so they want to secure someone who will cause a lot of excitement around the show and bring a new energy to the competition."
Sir Tom Jones returned to social media following LeAnn Rimes's decision to quit The Voice
No decision has been made yet, but conversations are taking place about who might fill the vacant chair.
The show has featured numerous high-profile judges since moving from BBC One to ITV in 2017, including Rita Ora, Kylie Minogue and Olly Murs.
Jones recently expressed his hopes of returning to the show, telling the Daily Star newspaper: "Fingers crossed we'll be back on 'The Voice'. Me and Tom have a real passion for it, and I think people could see that."
Fletcher added: "The Voice is a fantastic show. I feel very lucky that I got to be part of it. We had a brilliant time. I got to share my advice and stories. I have 21 years of experience, and if that's useful to someone, then that's great. I would love to do another series."
Sir Tom Jones has shared a series of celebratory messages from fans
When joining The Voice UK, Rimes had expressed her enthusiasm for mentoring new talent. "I love connecting with all of the artists, finding songs they connect to and creating these performances," she said.
"For me it's not just about creating performances but creating moments that are really powerful."
Rimes had previously stated she wouldn't have joined the show if it wasn't "kind" in its approach. "You want to give people creative criticism - not shatter their hopes and dreams.
"I think a lot of people went too far back in the day," she added.
