Will.i.am backs campaign for Sir Tom Jones to return to The Voice

Will.i.am has endorsed a petition to have Sir Tom Jones reinstated on ITV's The Voice.

Sir Tom told his social media followers earlier this month that the broadcaster had "fired" him as a judge on the show.

The 86-year-old singer from Treforest, Rhondda Cynon Taf, has appeared as an on-off coach on the singing competition since it premiered in 2012.

Superfan Aaron Howlett, 50, from Kingston-upon-Hull, started the petition which has received more than 63,000 signatures from around the world.

ITV thanked Sir Tom for all of his years on The Voice and the "countless incredible and unforgettable moments" he gave the show.

Speaking on BBC Radio Wales Breakfast on Wednesday, Howlett said he had been a fan of Sir Tom for four decades.

"Sir Tom is one of the last living legends," he said. "His voice resonates with so many people, young and old."

"If he stopped singing and performing, then he wouldn't be Sir Tom anymore," continued Howlett.

"I think singing is Tom. He resonates from the inside and he becomes alive on stage."

Howlett referenced a recent show Jones performed in Milwaukee, USA, where he "was given a standing ovation at 86".

"He rocked the crowd. He had the crowd in the palm of his hand. He still does it on the television, and he's the reason that most people watch The Voice," he said.

US rapper and songwriter Will.i.am, who has also appeared as a coach on The Voice alongside Sir Tom, collaborated on a Change.org Instagram post on 15 September which shared Howlett's petition.

Howlett said he was "overwhelmed" by the response as, when he started it, he was unsure if "anybody [was] going to follow".

A spokesperson for The Voice previously said: "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."

In a social media post published earlier this month, Sir Tom said: "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."

The programme's 2027 series was due to begin production soon.

In the most recent series of The Voice UK, Sir Tom featured as a coach alongside McFly stars Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones, Will.i.am and Destiny's Child singer Kelly Rowland.

He has also appeared alongside singers Jessie J, Olly Murs, Kylie Minogue and Rita Ora in previous series, and mentored three competitors on the programme who went on to win.

Fans from across the world have commented on the online petition, including Alison, from Peterborough, who wrote: "I, like so many people, watch The Voice because of Sir Tom and will stop watching if he's not on it."

Carmela, from Montreal in Canada, said: "My mom passed away 3 years ago. On her death bed she had to watch Tom Jones on TV and on YouTube. Us Canadians love him. My mom and I went to see him in concert 3 times when he came to visit my city."

An ITV spokesperson said: "ITV would like to thank Sir Tom Jones for all his years on The Voice UK, and the countless incredible and unforgettable moments he gave the show.

"He has brought joy to audiences, and to every singer who performed for him and with him."