The BBC has defended it’s axing of Sir Tom Jones from The Voice UK.

The new Voice UK judges were announced yesterday though Sir Tom had been given the chop without being told!

The original coach was replaced after four years by Boy George who will sit in the spinning red chairs alongside Will.i.am and Ricky Wilson, whilst Paloma Faith replaces Rita Ora after she jumped ship to The X Factor.

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Whilst the decision hasn’t proved all too popular as things stand and it all got a bit awkward when Sir Tom took to Twitter and Facebook yesterday to lash out at the BBC.

“Shocked and disappointed about The Voice UK. I was TOLD yesterday. No idea, no conversation, no warning,” he said of being dropped.

The Welsh legend added: “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 for the last 4 years.”

However the BBC insisted last night: “The final decision on the coaches’ line-up for series 5 of The Voice was only taken on Wednesday and Tom’s team was informed early yesterday morning.

“We then announced it to the press so that it didn’t leak. This has been the same every year and no role was ever promised.”

The new line up of coaches begin filming blind auditions next month in Manchester before the show returns to TV in the New Year on BBC One.

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