The Voice

BECKY Hill has taken a swipe at The Voice bosses as she opened up about how she has missed out on becoming a coach on the show.

The Loose Control singer, 32, shot to fame on the first series of the ITV show back in 2012 when she was 18-years-old.

The current series of The Voice is airing on our screens, with coaches Sir Tom Jones, will.i.am, Kelly Rowland, Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones.

Capital FM host Jimmy Hill was interested to know if Becky would ever return to the singing programme after it was revealed Sir Tom was axed last month.

Jimmy asked her: “Would you ever go on The Voice as a coach?”

Becky replied: “I don’t think the show would have me on.”

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She continued: “Because I had an interview with them a few years ago because they were having a fifth chair.

“And in the interview I said well I’m the only success story from The Voice and there is a reason for that because you have talented people on your show.

“You make a TV show out of them, and then you don’t help them out afterwards.

“I remember being 18 and having to knock on so many doors when I was that age, but there were so many people on that show in my year, that were contestants that didn’t have that experience, kind of came off the show feeling like they had a normal job.

“They were then shoved on TV in front of 12 million people and then they were just spat back out.

“And I would wonder whether me saying to The Voice I would like to help artists. I don’t just want to be employed to be like ‘When it was me, I know how you feel’.

“Because I know that that’s what they’re going to try and get me to do.

“I would love to help people out and make people into, introduce them to people.

“Never got a callback. So I don’t think it’s a case of ‘Would you do The Voice?’

“I think it’s a question of would The Voice do me?”

When Becky appeared on The Voice in 2012 the show aired on BBC One and was presented by Holly Willoughby and Reggie Yates.

The coaches were will.i.am, Sir Tom Jones, Jessie J and Danny O’Donoghue.

The series was won by Leanne Mitchell.

The Voice has now aired 14 series since then and it recently hit headlines after it was revealed that Sir Tom Jones was axed.

A source told us at the time “ITV absolutely love Sir Tom and they’re working very hard behind the scenes to make this work.”

The Sun previously revealed rapper Aitch was to replace McFly duo Danny Jones and Tom Fletcher, who are leaving the show.

Former Girls Aloud singer Cheryl is also set to make her primetime TV comeback as a coach, while rapper will.i.am is returning with Kelly Rowland.

A source said: “Everyone loves Sir Tom but there was a feeling that the upcoming series needed a major refresh.

“With Aitch and Cheryl coming on board and Kelly returning with will.i.am, there just wasn’t a seat going.”

Becky is best known for songs such as Remember, Crazy What Love Can Do, Gecko (Overdrive) and Wish You Well.

Octavia Hughes asked for help in the days before her death. She leaves behind an eight-year-old daughter

A beloved mum and former stylist on The Voice went to the doctor three times in the days before her death, but was told she had a migraine and to go home.

Octavia Hughes died from a bleed on the brain after being rushed to hospital with stroke symptoms caused by a torn artery in her neck. The 38-year-old, known as ‘Tav’, leaves behind her eight-year-old daughter Dolly and a community of grieving family and friends.

Hospital bosses have offered their condolences to Octavia’s family and said they will “do all we can” to give them answers. Octavia, a fashion designer and owner of a popular second-hand clothing shop in Whitstable, had started getting headaches while walking at Manchester Fashion Week in early September.

She first sought medical help on September 14, when she went to her GP and was reportedly told she was having a migraine and sent home. The mum-of-one also called 111 before attending A&E at the QEQM Hospital in Margate the next day, and was told the same thing, according to friend Paula Chappell.

When her condition did not improve, she went back to A&E on September 17, but was again reportedly sent home. Her family say that the next morning, Octavia woke up with stroke symptoms and was rushed to Kent and Canterbury Hospital, where she had emergency surgery. It is understood that her stroke was caused by a torn artery in her neck.

Octavia then suffered a bleed on the brain and was transferred to King’s College Hospital in London where – despite medics’ best efforts – her family was told there was nothing they could do. Octavia’s organs were donated while she stayed on life support, and she died on September 23.

Paula said: “I think that’s what’s so horrific is that we should have never got to the point we did on Friday. By the time we got to that point, we were just on a downward spiral. She was never a complainer. She wasn’t one of those people who moan about not being well. She’d be a trooper.

“She was walking at Manchester Fashion Week the weekend before, even when the headaches had started to come on. She would never go to the GP, never complain and was definitely not someone that would go three times for no reason.”

Her sudden death has now left friends and family to care for Dolly. “They were little mini besties,” said Paula, who runs an art gallery and met Octavia eight years ago. She would feature on her socials all the time. We all adore our children, I know we do, but their bond was something I’ve never seen.

“We’ve got Dolly to look after and that’s the focus now, to try and make sure that we can get the funds so she can still do the things that Tav would have done with her. We just need to make sure there’s a small bit of financial security in the interim, whilst everything is going on, so we don’t always have to worry about finances as well.”

Paula set up a fundraiser which has already amassed more than £26,000 in donations. “I can’t believe it,” she said. “It shows us how much she was loved by people who didn’t even know her.”

Octavia studied fashion promotion at Southampton Solent University. Her first job after uni was as a stylist’s assistant on The Voice UK, before she worked for several years as a freelance TV stylist. She also ran a pub with her brother, styled e-commerce shoots and worked as an art director for major UK brands. She moved to Whitstable 10 years ago and had her daughter.

In 2019 she set up We Sell By the Sea, followed by Prelove and Reloved. This year, she opened No.86 as a home for her second-hand business in Whitstable High Street. “She’s the friend who knew everything about me,” said Paula. “She’s the one who knows my secrets, the one I would message a hundred times a day.

“She changed my life. I’m not by any means an introvert and I’m quite outgoing, but we danced and we laughed harder and louder together than I ever have with anyone.

“She was loved by everyone. It’s left a hole in all of our hearts, and we will miss her forever.”

A spokesperson for East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust, which runs the QEQM and Kent and Canterbury Hospital, said: “We offer our sincere condolences to Octavia’s family. We will do all we can to answer their questions and will also work with the coroner to understand the circumstances of Octavia’s death.”

You can donate to the fundraiser here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-support-dolly-through-this-unbearable-loss?cp_src=d

Sir Tom Jones proved he’s “still got it” on The Voice UK tonight with an impromptu rendition of It’s Not Unusual.

The Voice UK fans slam ITV’s “huge mistake” in getting rid of Sir Tom Jones as he shares heartwarming story about his career.

ITV’s hit singing contest The Voice UK returned tonight, Saturday, September 19, as the judges continued to blindly listen to singers hoping one of stars would give them a chance.

As always was veteran The Voice UK icon Sir Tom Jones who recalled when he first realised the moment he “made it” in his music career, after he was asked by Will.i.am.

“It’s Not Unusual I did in 1964 so that was 61 years ago”, Tom said.

“My band and myself were driving back to London and It’s Not Unusual came out on the Friday but I didn’t know until I picked up the Sunday paper in a transport cafe, and there it was, It’s Not Unusual, number 10.

“There were truck drivers there right and I was like ‘You see this!’ And they were like ‘yeah, yeah, yeah yeah!’

“And just seeing my name at number 10 I thought ‘This is it. It was a tremendous feeling.’

This story then prompted the audience to ask for him to sing It’s Not Unusual which Sir Tom happily obliged with many fans impressed by his performance.

However, it also angered viewers as they were reminded that the 86-year-old will not be returning for The Voice UK next year as he will be replaced by former Girls Aloud star Cheryl.

“To the powers that be at The Voice UK this is the legend you dropped!”, someone angrily wrote.

A second agreed: “ITV making a very big mistake getting rid of Sir Tom Jones, idiots.”

Another agreed: “It was such a huge mistake axing Tom Jones”, with another writing: “Still can’t believe they fired THE Tom Jones. He’s amazing.”

While a fellow viewer added: “Don’t care what anyone says Sir Tom Jones has still got it!” Silliest move to let this frigging legend go..shame on you producers who make stupid decisions on The Voice UK.”

Sir Tom has also shared that it wasn’t his decision to go, explaining on social media: “The reason given is because of a financial difficulty with insurance.

They now say in the press they wanted to ‘refresh’ the show, and with a new coaching line-up there wouldn’t be a chair for me.”

He has instead been offered a reduced role in the series, something that Sir Tom isn’t “thrilled” about.

The Voice UK continues every Saturday on ITV and ITVX