The Voice UK 2026 winner revealed as fans react to Sir Tom Jones's "emotional" final appearance as coach

The Voice UK 2026 came to an end on Saturday night (31 October), with Welsh singer Cate McHugh being crowned the winner.

Cate, who was coached by Sir Tom Jones, beat the likes of Monique Nicholson-Porter, Naná Aldrin-Quaye and Frank Raven in the final round of performances.

After winning the ITV singing competition, Cate – who has a degenerative sight condition which has left her registered blind – looked overwhelmed as she said on stage: "Thank you, I did it."

Cate’s win also marked a victory for Sir Tom in what looks set to be his final season as a full-time coach.

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The legendary singer, who has appeared on the show since it premiered in 2012 – missing out on only one season – confirmed his departure from the series back in September following months of speculation, saying in a statement: "To be clear, I did not want to leave The Voice as I love the show and really appreciate the audience.

"ITV made this decision - obviously a while ago, and I was told just recently. The reason given is because of a financial difficulty with insurance. They now say in the press they wanted to 'refresh' the show, and with a new coaching line-up there wouldn't be a chair for me."

He also revealed that he had been offered a reduced role – one he was "not thrilled about".

A spokesperson for The Voice UK told Radio Times: "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."

Following Cate’s win last night, fans flocked to social media to share their thoughts on her victory and on Sir Tom’s win during his last season.

One viewer wrote on X: "A huge congratulations to Cate and Sir Tom Jones! What a wonderful achievement and so well deserved win. It’s lovely to see another member of Team Tom take the crown on The Voice UK once again.

"But surely this makes The Voice UK’s decision to get rid of Sir Tom even more baffling? He’s the most winningest coach in the show’s history.

"He’s not just a coach on The Voice UK. He’s part of its heart and soul. And that’s something you simply cannot replace."

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Another viewer wrote on YouTube: "Well deserved winner. Thanks Sir Tom, you will be missed so much. Big mistake by ITV."

A third fan wrote: "@ITV Rethink firing Sir #TomJones from #TheVoiceUK. He's the main reason I watch. He's won the most securing 4 victories!"

And one more fan added: "Delighted sir Tom is going out with a bang.. so emotional hearing him sing for the last time on the voice tonight the duet with cate was beautiful she has a great voice (sic)."

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Authors

Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.