Sir Tom attacks Cowell’s judging credentials

Sir Tom Jones has taken a swipe at The X Factor’s Simon Cowell, saying he is not in a position to judge talent when he has never sung live on stage himself.

The 71-year-old Welsh crooner, a panellist on BBC1’s new music talent show The Voice, revealed he did not sign up until he knew his fellow judges were musicians too.

He is joined by Jessie J, will.i.am and The Script’s Danny O’Donoghue as coaches on the series which is set to go head to head with Cowell’s other show Britain’s Got Talent when they launch on March 24.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Jones said he had never wanted to do talent shows like The X Factor and American Idol because not all the judges could sing themselves. He added: “I watched other talent shows and I thought: Now hang on a minute. How can this person, not mentioning any names, but how can he or she give singers advice if they’ve never gone through it themselves?

“I think you have to have stood up on that stage and gone for auditions, and be able to take the: You were great but no thank you. You have to be able to take that. And you have to have experienced that to be able to do it.”

Unlike The X Factor, judges for rival show The Voice sit with their back to the stage so they cannot see the auditionees and must judge them purely on their vocal ability.

Related topics: