Sir Tom Jones is set to return to the iconic red chairs as The Voice UK makes its comeback. The Welsh music icon will rejoin the coaching line-up when the new series premieres on ITV1 and ITVX at 7pm on Saturday, August 22, alongside will.i.am, McFly's Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones, and newcomer Kelly Rowland.
While millions recognise the 86-year-old for his distinctive voice, enormous hits and flamboyant stage presence, Sir Tom's personal life has been equally remarkable. From his enduring romance with his childhood sweetheart to his frank confessions about infidelity, fatherhood and the health issues he has encountered in his later years, there is far more to the man from Pontypridd than the persona of the charismatic performer.
Childhood and early life
Born Thomas John Woodward in Pontypridd, Tom was raised in a Welsh mining community. His father, Thomas, worked as a coal miner, while his mother Freda was a housewife. Singing became integral to Tom's life from an early age, with the future star performing at family gatherings and in chapel.
His childhood was also characterised by severe illness. At the age of 12, he developed tuberculosis and was bedridden for approximately two years. Tom has discussed how the experience transformed his perspective on life, and he later acknowledged that he might otherwise have followed his father down the mines.
Instead, music became his refuge. He departed school as a teenager and undertook manual jobs before performing in local clubs. His big break arrived following his relocation to London, where he took on the stage name Tom Jones and launched the career that would establish him as one of Wales' most celebrated exports.
Love, marriage and loss
Long before the stardom, there was Linda Trenchard. Tom and Linda had been raised near each other in Pontypridd and became childhood sweethearts during their teenage years. They got married in 1957 when both were just 16, shortly before their son, Mark, was born.
Linda stayed Tom's wife throughout his remarkable career ascent, including his time as a global sex symbol, his prolonged periods in America and the numerous reports about his personal life. Tom subsequently described Linda as the greatest love of his life and discussed candidly the depth of their connection.
Tom endured a heartbreaking loss when wife Linda passed away from cancer in April 2016. Tom has reflected poignantly on the crushing impact of her passing. In subsequent interviews, he characterised losing her as amongst the darkest moments of his life and questioned whether he could carry on performing.
He ultimately resumed his musical career, explaining that singing assisted him in processing his bereavement. He has also confirmed he has no intention of remarrying.
Womaniser reputation
Meanwhile, Tom's standing as a womaniser became nearly as renowned as his musical output. During the peak of his stardom, female admirers notoriously hurled undergarments onto the stage throughout his shows, while accounts of his romantic entanglements with women became a staple of media coverage. Tom has discussed openly the extent of his extramarital affairs. Reports have cited him as claiming that he bedded hundreds of women during the zenith of his celebrity.
Amongst the women associated with him were vocalist Mary Wilson of The Supremes and former Miss World Marjorie Wallace. However, despite the dalliances, Tom consistently maintained that he never planned to abandon Linda.
Health battles
Despite continuing to perform into his eighties, Tom has encountered several health difficulties over the years. One of the most significant has been his hips. He underwent a left hip replacement in 2017. Five years afterwards, he disclosed that his right hip had also degraded and that medical professionals had recommended he have another replacement. At the time, he quipped that he had been attempting to schedule the procedure around his packed touring commitments.
In November 2022, Tom confirmed that the second procedure had been successful, informing supporters that he now possessed "two new hips" and was undertaking physiotherapy during his recuperation. More latterly, in July 2025, Tom was compelled to postpone a performance in Bremen, Germany, after contracting an upper respiratory infection that necessitated treatment and rest. He later resumed performing, including an appearance at Camp Bestival in Dorset.
