Sir Tom Jones' true feelings on The Voice co-stars as he slams one for 'sodding off'

Tom Jones has been a mainstay on The Voice UK since the show first aired on the BBC back in 2012. The Welsh legend has worked with a number of stars on the show

Music icon Sir Tom Jones rose to fame in the 1960s and has since enjoyed a career filled with numerous number one hits and sold-out tours. But in his 2016 memoir Over The Top And Back, he didn't hold back when discussing his co-stars on The Voice, even taking a swipe at one as she left the show for a rival.

The Voice first aired in the UK on BBC One in 2012, with Sir Tom joining fellow stars to judge and mentor the talent competition's contestants.

Among those joining him was Black Eyed Peas singer Will.i.am, who Sir Tom described as having "the innocence of a 12-year-old child when he speaks, uses all sorts of expressions of his own, but he speaks with enormous clarity, in fact".

He was also impressed with Jessie J, another original coach on the show. The 84-year-old described the Bang Bang hitmaker as a 'ballsy kid' who quickly established herself on the team.

As the third series approached, the original panel of judges saw a change when Danny O'Donoghue left the show, replaced by Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson. The singer quickly won over the Welshman, with Sir Tom describing Ricky as the "fella I'm closest to on the show. Regular guy. No b******t."

One of the most notable additions to the show was Kylie Minogue, who stepped in for Jessie J after she decided to leave. Sir Tom Jones commented on Kylie's presence, saying: "She has a professional veneer which is there, on camera and off, which it's hard to feel you're getting behind. But it's a really nice professional veneer, she's been at it a long time."

However, Kylie's tenure on the show was brief, and she was succeeded by Rita Ora. Despite getting along with Sir Tom, he expressed disappointment when she left after one series to join The X Factor, noting: "Rita's driven like Jessie, but less hard on herself. She's having fun with it. Although, after one series of stealing both the show and the nation's hearts, she decides to sod off to The X Factor, which is a pity."

Sir Tom Jones became a household name in the 1960s and enjoyed a flourishing career over the following decades, achieving numerous number one hits. His contributions to music were recognised in 2006 when he received a knighthood from the late Queen.