The Voice UK’s controversial blind audition twist will return

A controversial change to The Voice UK blind auditions will return for next year.

Try outs for the new series – which begins on TV in 2018 – kicked off filming in Manchester earlier this month.

It’s the second run to air on ITV after moving from BBC One and last year saw a slight twist introduced to the format.

On the BBC series, once an audition was over, all the chairs turned so the coaches who didn’t hit the buzzer still saw acts and offered them advice or reasons why they hadn’t spun.

But on the ITV version, if no coach presses their buzzer then the contestant leaves the stage immediately without ever interacting with the panel.

Will.i.am was vocal about not being a fan of the move, saying in 2016: “I don’t personally like that change. If there are no turns that person walks away with no feedback.

“We talk about it among ourselves.”

He explained: “Even when no one liked our demo when we were shopping it they gave us criticism on how to improve.

“From that, it changed my writing. I was like ‘I’m going to be the hook man’. It changed my perspective. The contestants won’t get that.”

New coach for 2018, Olly Murs has confirmed that the twist will return next year.

Speaking from the auditions in Manchester, the former X Factor finalist said: “The hardest thing is the contestants not getting an explanation (if none of the judges press their buzzers) which is really different.

“It can work in your favour though – to be fair, I wouldn’t want to turn around to anyone and say, ‘I didn’t like it’ and ‘it was bad’ because that’s not the type of character I am.

Comparing the show to The X Factor, he added to DigitalSpy: “So it’s very different, that part, for me.

“And it’s very different for the coaches and judges, but for the constant it’s the same. They want a yes, they want to become the next star.”

The Voice UK will return to TV on ITV in January.