ITV has confirmed that The Voice will return to screens on Saturday, August 22, after a year-long hiatus. New coach Kelly Rowland has teased her debut, joining returning coaches Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones, Sir Tom Jones, and will.i.am.
The singing competition was last won by AVA, coached by McFly's Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones in 2024. The McFly duo will return for the new season, alongside Sir Tom Jones and will.i.am. Kelly Rowland replaces country singer LeAnn Rimes, who left after one season.
Kelly Rowland's coaching pedigree
Former Destiny's Child singer Kelly Rowland is no stranger to UK singing competitions, having appeared as a judge on the eighth season of The X Factor. She was credited with putting girl group Little Mix together, who went on to win the show in 2011 and become household names. Kelly also previously coached on the Australian version of The Voice between 2017 and 2020.
Teasing what to expect, Kelly said: “I am excited to join The Voice UK as a coach and am looking forward to working with the excellent and passionate coaches the show is known for. I can’t wait to hear all the new talent and to go to battle for my team. Let’s go.”
Coaches and producers welcome Kelly
The other coaches rushed to share their support, with Sir Tom saying Kelly was 'an amazing artist with a huge amount of experience to share', while will.i.am said she will 'take this season to the dopest level possible'. ITV’s director of entertainment and daytime commissioning, Katie Rawcliffe, also said Kelly would "bring fresh insights and even more energy to the panel".
In a new video shared on ITV’s social media channels, Kelly took on one of the show’s blind auditions. Performing a snippet of The Bee Gees’ Emotion, which was covered by her US girl group, Kelly showed off her stellar vocals to her new co-stars.
New 'Rewind' twist and returning host
The video also confirmed that The Voice 2026 launches on Saturday, August 22. Back on presenting duties is Emma Willis, who is also fronting the new season of Strictly Come Dancing with Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe.
A new ‘game-changing’ twist is also coming to The Voice as the competition introduces a ‘Rewind’ button. Now, one coach will be given the chance during the Blind Auditions to change their mind about an act that has left the stage without a single chair turn.
ITV teased: “If a coach realises they have made a mistake, they can hit Rewind, bring the act back, and offer them a place on their team. However, with only one Rewind available to each coach, they must choose their moment wisely. For an act who thought their journey was over, it could change everything…”
