For now, ITV’s position is the clearest on-record account: discussions are continuing, and the broadcaster hopes Jones will return. It has not confirmed what that role might involve.
The distinction matters because the reported change would end his latest run as a full-time coach without necessarily ending his association with the singing competition. Guest appearances, mentoring duties or another recurring position remain possible, though none has been officially announced.
How long has Sir Tom been a coach?
Jones joined the programme when it launched on BBC One in 2012. He has coached contestants in 13 of the 14 completed series, rather than serving continuously for 15 years as some reports claimed.
The interruption came in 2016, when he was removed from the panel. Jones later said he was not shocked about being replaced, but “about the way they did it.” He returned in 2017 after the format moved from the BBC to ITV and has remained a central figure since then.
That earlier dispute gives the latest negotiations an extra edge. Neither ITV nor Jones has said whether he was directly informed about the proposed change this time, or whether any agreement has been reached before details began appearing in the press.
His record on the show is substantial. Jones has mentored three winners, including inaugural champion Leanne Mitchell and 2022 winner Anthonia Edwards. ITV’s 2025 announcement confirmed him for the current series alongside will.i.am, Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones and newcomer Kelly Rowland.
Who could join the new coaching line-up?
Reports have linked Manchester rapper Aitch and former Girls Aloud singer Cheryl with the next series. Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones are expected to leave, while will.i.am and Kelly Rowland have been tipped to remain.
No complete 2027 coaching panel has been formally unveiled. An August report described Aitch and Cheryl as possible additions rather than confirmed hires, so the red-chair arithmetic remains provisional.
The rumoured combination points toward a deliberate generational reset. Jones is the programme’s oldest coach, while will.i.am is the only other panel member who appeared in the original 2012 series. Adding Aitch would give ITV a younger British rap presence, while Cheryl would bring previous experience from The X Factor.
Kelly Rowland made her debut during the current run. If she and will.i.am return alongside Aitch and Cheryl, reports suggest there would be no permanent seat left for Jones. That may explain the effort to find him another position rather than stage a clean break with one of the show’s most recognisable names.
Is The Voice UK changing its presenters too?
The coaching rumours form part of a wider proposed overhaul. Alesha Dixon and Stacey Solomon have been linked with presenting duties as possible replacements for long-serving host Emma Willis, who has moved to the BBC to co-host Strictly Come Dancing with Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe.
As with the reported coaching additions, the new presenting arrangement had not been formally confirmed when the names first emerged in August. Reports say filming for the revamped series is due to begin in Manchester on Friday, with broadcast expected in 2027.
The programme currently attracts about two million viewers each week. Its better-known former contestants include Becky Hill, who competed in the first series before building a successful recording career.
ITV clearly sees value in refreshing a format that has now been on British television for more than a decade. The unresolved question is whether that refresh includes a smaller role for Jones or no role at all. For the moment, the broadcaster says it wants him back. It just has not said where it plans to put him.
