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Cheryl ‘favourite to replace Tom Jones’ on The Voice UK after star’s explosive statement

Cheryl looks poised to replace Sir Tom Jones on The Voice following his explosive statement on his axing and the latest bookies odds which seem to be in her favour

Cheryl looks poised to replace Sir Tom Jones on The Voice. The former Girls Aloud star, 42, has taken time out of the spotlight in recent years but, almost 20 years after she joined The X Factor, it’s thought that she could be about to become a TV talent show judge all over again.

It all comes just days after it emerged that music legend Tom, 86, who first appeared on The Voice in 2012, had been axed from his position and made it clear that he didn’t want to leave.

A source told The Sun: “They adore Tom but felt Cheryl Tweedy would be better suited taking his seat. Talks were ongoing with both of them but everyone knew Tom was the backup option in case Cheryl fell through.”

The insider went on to claim that the whole situation could’ve been dealt with better and alleged that Tom’s fans have been left “furious” by the whole thing.

It comes as bookmaker Coral has priced up the contenders to join the new coaching panel on The Voice UK, with former I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! star Aitch long odds-on at 1-8 and Cheryl even shorter at 1-10 to take one of the hot seats.

With ITV reportedly planning a major shake-up to the hit singing show, Coral makes Olly Murs 6-1 to be signed up, Rita Ora can be backed at 8-1 and Jess Glynne is 10-1.

“The odds suggest Aitch and Cheryl look very likely to join the new-look coaching panel on the next series of The Voice. Both have been popular in our betting, and it would be a big surprise if they did not appear on the red seats next year,” said Coral’s John Hill.

In his post, Tom said he was ‘not thrilled’ by what ITV have offered him. He wrote: “To be clear, I did not want to leave The Voice as I love the show and really appreciate the audience. “ITV made this decision – obviously a while ago, and I was just told recently.

“The reason given is because of a financial difficulty with insurance. They now say in the press they want to ‘refresh’ the show, and a new coaching line-up there wouldn’t be a chair for me.

“They are offering a much-reduced role where I would make an appearance but without being actually involved from the start, and I’m not thrilled about that. So the only thing I know right now is that there’s never a good time to fire an 86-year-old who’s still pretty good at his job.”

A spokesperson for The Voice told the Mirror: “We have loved working with Sir Tom Jones over the past nine years on The Voice UK. While he will no longer be a full-time coach on series 15, we continue to talk to Sir Tom and his team about his involvement in the next series.”

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Benidorm star Crissy Rock says she wants to replace Denise Welch on Loose Women

EXCLUSIVE: Crissy Rock has admitted she would love to join the Loose Women panel following the exit of Denise Welch and revealed that there was a time she could have had a part in Coronation Street

Crissy Rock has revealed that she would like to join Loose Women. The actress, 67, is probably best known for playing hotel manageress Janey Yorke during the first four series of the sunny sitcom Benidorm, and has also had an incredibly successful career as a stand-up comedienne.

Over the years, the TV star has appeared on the ITV lunchtime chat show, which has recently seen the exits of long-serving panellists Denise Welch and Nadia Sawalha, that she would jump at the chance to become a full-time panellist.

Speaking to The Mirror ahead of starring in a nationwide tour of Tits Up!, she said: “I would love to be a panellist, instead of just going on talking.”

When it was suggested that she could act as a replacement for Denise, who recently quit after more than 20 years, Crissy said: “Oh yeah, I’ll have to get in there!” Denise, also known for her roles in Waterloo Road and Coronation Street, said she was stepping down because acting is her “first love and the thing she’s best at,” so would like to make the most of new opportunities.

Crissy shot to fame when she took on the role of Maggie in the Ken Loach film Ladybird, Ladybird in 1994 and won critical acclaim for her performance. Since then, the Liverpool-born star has appeared in episodes of Peak Practice, Brookside and Dalziel and Pascoe, whilst also treading the boards regularly in productions such as Snow White, Cinderella and Menopause the Musical.

Shortly after Crissy competed on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! in 2011, there was speculation that she could be about to join the cast of Coronation Street as the sister of Jackie Dobbs, played by fellow Liverpudlian Margi Clarke – but it never came to fruition.

She said: “I’ve never done Coronation Street, ever. There was rumours, but it never, ever happened. It never come about. It would have been lovely, that, wouldn’t it? To play Margi Clark’s sister, Tyrone’s auntie. That would have been a good thing, but it just never happened.

“You always hear things. Like ‘Oh, Benidorm’s going to come back.’ but is it or isn’t it? We don’t know, and I’m just as in the dark as everyone else!”

Benidorm began in 2007 and, over the course of 10 series, followed the escapades of a group of British holidaymakers, with a host of names such as Sheridan Smith, Siobhan Finneran, and Hannah Waddingham all checking into the Solana hotel during its long run.

Whether a Benidorm revival is on the cards or not. Crissy admitted that even though she had been in the industry for years before it all began, that was the role that cemented her status in showbiz.

She said: “I’ve been an actress way before Benidorm, but I think Benidorm because of what it did and how it influenced everyone, and it become like a cult thing, it did, in my eyes, put me firmly back on the map, you know what I mean?”

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