It’s hard to believe that it has been a full decade since The Voice UK debuted on our TV screens back in 2012.
The singing competition aired on BBC One at the time, hosted by Holly Willoughby and Reggie Yates, before eventually moving over to ITV after fears that the show could ‘upstage’ the X Factor.
Leanne Mitchell was eventually crowned the winner of the first series, but later quit singing altogether after a furious fat-shaming row with judge Sir Tom Jones.
With an original panel comprised of Jessie J, will.i.am, Tom Jones and Danny O’Donoghue, the show finally ended its BBC run in 2015.
But where are the stars of series one now? From a royal connection to horrific rows, we take a look.
Fat-shaming row
(Image: NC)
Series one winner Leanne Mitchell left fans stunned when she soared to victory on the show mentored by Tom Jones, going on to release her debut single Run to You in June 2012.
However, her debut album turned out to be a “huge flop” when it came out the next year, reaching number 134 in the charts – and Leanne was sadly dropped from her label in 2014.
And shortly after, Sir Tom cruelly suggested that it was Leanne’s weight gain that led to her “singing at a holiday camp” rather than topping the charts.
Speaking to The Sun, he said: “Leanne Mitchell, the girl who won the first one – she was singing at a holiday camp and she still is. And she wasn’t bothered much.”
(Image: PA)
He added: “When she first came on the show, I thought about [her] trimming down a bit but she’d gotten comfortable in this holiday camp and she’d put on some weight from it – from what she was when she was younger and from footage from when she had a record deal from years before.”
He said Leanne “put on more weight” after winning The Voice, telling the publication she “got more comfortable” with her partner – now husband – camp activity instructor Rob Hurren.
Tom said Leanne “didn’t have the drive” in the furious blast.
Royal link
Bo Bruce ended up being one of the most successful competitors on The Voice, eventually placing runner-up in the contest under the tutelage of Danny O’Donoghue.
Real name Lady Catherine Anna Brudenell-Bruce, Bo is the daughter of Earl of Cardigan David Brudenell-Bruce, and his first wife Rosamond Winkley.
She is also the granddaughter of the 8th Marquess of Ailesbury, Michael Brudenell-Bruce, with her older brother Thomas being Viscount Savernake.
Her family’s seat is a 4,500 acre estate in Wiltshire, Tottenham House, close to Savernake Forest, and she grew up at a lodge on the estate.
Interestingly, her distant cousin Florence is a lingerie model and former actress, who has appeared in The Great Pottery Throwdown in 2020.
Tragic loss
It wasn’t easy for Bo to compete in The Voice 2012, as her mum was dying of pancreatic cancer at the time – leaving her distraught.
Bo explained to The Sun at the time that she was struggling with concentrating on both the singing competition and her mother, admitting she was “sleeping on a lot of hospital floors” while trying to win the contest.
She told the publication: “It has been incredibly difficult. I so want to make this experience on The Voice something that will change my life, but equally my biggest fan is my mum and I want to be with her.”
She added that her mum couldn’t make it into the studio but was “watching [her] from hospital”.
Bo also said at the time she hadn’t spoken to her dad “for a long time”, and wasn’t ready to reconcile after seven years of not speaking.
Bo’s mum died of cancer that year.
Co-star rift
(Image: Getty Images for Bauer Media)
Becky Hill – who has gone on to achieve musical fame performing at various festivals – was rumoured to be in a feud with her co-stars, duo Indie and Pixie, when they were both mentored by Jessie J.
But soon both acts were forced to take to social media to deny the rift, with Indie and Pixie tweeting at the time: “TO CLEAR THIS UP… Regardless of whatever they say in newspapers or on the voice tonight, us and @rebeckyhill get on swimmingly…”
As Becky added: “I need to say something… I’m so angry. Last night’s show made me and @IndieandPixie out to not be friends and have a massive amount of bitchiness between us. THIS IS NOT TRUE.
“To all you people slating them, you couldn’t be more wrong, you lot need to realise THIS IS TV, NOT REAL LIFE. The girls are amazing and don’t deserve the crap people are saying about them.”
Even coach Jessie J weighed in on the unfair editing of the acts, telling fans: “Editing. Very powerful thing.”
Eurovision stardom
(Image: Popperfoto via Getty Images)
Evicted during the semi-finals, singer Max Milner has reached number 63 in the UK Singles Chart with a cover of Free Fallin’ by Tom Petty.
But he’s not the most famous person in his family, as his mum made waves representing the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest.
Sally Anne Triplett actually performed at Eurovision twice, first in 1980 and then again in 1982, as part of the groups Prima Donna and Bardo.
She has also made plenty of TV appearances, including in EastEnders, Crackerjack! and Doctors, admitting she would only consider doing Eurovision a third time if she was offered a particularly strong ballad.
X Factor stint
(Image: BBC/Youtube)
If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again?
That certainly seemed to work for Heshima Thompson, son of Reggae singer Dr Alimantado and brother of soul singer Zalon.
The singer and actor has appeared on everything from Spooks to Casualty, before going on to audition for series six of the X Factor in 2009, and again in 2011 for the eighth series.
Heshima went on to the battle rounds of The Voice, and has since achieved a number one album working with Mark Ronson for Amy Winehouse’s album Lioness: Hidden Treasures.
In 2014, he went on to found British entertainment agency HTG Entertainment.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
