The Voice UK coaches spark mixed reaction as new series returns

ITV’s The Voice UK returned on Saturday night, August 23, with a fresh group of singers hoping to secure a place on one of the coaches’ teams. But while the performances drew plenty of excitement, some viewers were less impressed by the coaches’ antics, describing parts of the episode as “cringe”.

Emma Willis was back to welcome the latest batch of hopefuls, with will.i.am, Kelly Rowland, Sir Tom Jones, Danny Jones and Tom Fletcher once again taking their places on the coaching panel.

All five coaches turn for Monique

One of the night’s standout auditions came from Monique Nicholson-Porter, who performed Ariana Grande’s pov.

Her performance immediately caught the attention of the panel, with all five coaches pressing their buzzers and turning their chairs in the hope of recruiting her.

The competition continued during the coaches’ pitches. Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones joined forces for an impromptu performance of Kelly Rowland’s hit Dilemma, hoping to persuade Monique to pick one of them instead.

will.i.am then joined the musical battle with his own vocal performance, while Sir Tom Jones also gave a brief impromptu rendition in an attempt to win Monique over.

In the end, however, Monique chose Kelly as her coach.

Viewers divided over the coaches’ performance

While Monique’s decision was well received by some fans, the coaches’ attempts to woo her left others unimpressed.

Several viewers took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to comment on the moment, with some describing the back-and-forth singing as overly cheesy.

One fan wrote: “They’re using Kelly’s song against her. She needs to fight back now with one of their songs #thevoiceuk.”

Another posted: “C’mon Kelly you can’t have that. Sing your song back #Thevoiceuk.”

A third viewer simply reacted: “Oh ffs – this is cringe! … #TheVoiceUK.”

Another added: “All this singing by the judges are too cheesy for me #TheVoiceUK.”

Not everyone shared that view, however. Some viewers praised the coaches and appeared to enjoy the lighter moments between them.

One fan was particularly impressed by Sir Tom, writing: “Tom Jones is 86 years old and he still has a voice like that. INCREDIBLE! #TheVoiceUK.”

Another praised the relationship between the coaches, saying: “Danny and Kelly’s friendly banter is so funny #TheVoiceUK.”

Cheryl reportedly linked to coaching role

The return of the current series comes amid reports of another potential change to the coaching panel.

Girls Aloud star Cheryl is allegedly in line to join The Voice UK as a coach, with filming for the upcoming series reportedly due to begin in September.

According to The Sun, Cheryl is said to be in the final stages of negotiations to take a seat on the panel.

A source told the publication that producers have approached Cheryl about the programme every year, but that she had previously declined because the timing was not right.

This year, however, she is reportedly ready to return to the spotlight, with discussions said to be at an advanced stage.

The source said: “Every year producers ask Cheryl to go on the show and it’s a polite ‘no’ as the timing has never quite been right. This year it’s different. She feels ready to re-enter the spotlight and talks are now in the final stages.”

The source added that while the deal could still fall through, the production team is currently working on the assumption that Cheryl will take part, with just three weeks remaining before filming begins.

Her reported friendship with will.i.am could also help make the move easier, with the source noting that the pair are long-term friends and would be sitting alongside each other on the panel.

The Daily Mirror has approached Cheryl’s representatives and ITV for a response.

Could Emma Willis also leave?

Cheryl’s reported arrival may not be the only significant change ahead for The Voice UK.

There have also been reports that Alesha Dixon and Stacey Solomon could potentially replace Emma Willis as presenter.

Emma has hosted The Voice UK since 2014, but her television career has continued to expand during that time.

She currently presents Netflix’s Love Is Blind UK alongside her husband, Matt Willis. She is also set to take on a presenting role with Strictly Come Dancing when the BBC programme returns in September.

For now, Emma remains at the helm of The Voice UK, with the new series airing on Saturday nights on ITV1 and ITVX.