Tom fights back the tears with Voice tribute to his late wife
SIR TOM JONES gave a moving performance of his song, I Won’t Crumble With You If You Fall, during Saturday’s episode of The Voice UK.
After Sir Tom, who is from Treforest, sang the ballad and the studio fell silent, co-star Anne Marie said: “I think that was one of the best moments of my life”.
The 82-year-old then revealed what inspired the song. “My wife was dying of lung cancer,” he choked up and said.
“I was always able to fix stuff you know? I was always able to do things if she needed me for anything, I was always there but she said ‘You can’t crumble with me. Don’t fall with me. You must carry on and do what you do.’
“When I heard it, I thought ‘My God, this thing is like it was written for this situation’ – It’s a lovely song,” Tom added, as Anne-Marie started to cry. Will.i.am thanked his fellow The Voice UK coach for sharing his story with them.
Tom’s wife, Linda, passed away in 2016 after a battle with lung cancer. The couple had been married since 1957. After Linda’s death, Tom sold their Los Angeles mansion and its contents, apart from treasured photos, and moved back to the UK. He resides in a flat in London, as she suggested.
Following the emotional moment, viewers took to social media to share their thoughts. One person wrote: “Wow!! Tom Jones that was heartfelt.” Another added: “Tom Jones is magician. Just magic.”
A third said: “Tom Jones talking about his wife and why that song meant so much to him. I’m done.”
The song, itself, ‘I Won’t Crumble With You If You Fall’ can be found on the singer’s most recent album, Surrounded by Time.
The Voice airs on Saturdays on ITV at 8pm.
IT is great to once again get in touch with you about my work in the Senedd.
I also look forward to seeing some of you at the upcoming Efail Isaf Village Fete on the 10th of September, and the Llantwit Fardre Community Roast on the 17th of September.
I encourage everyone to attend these great community events and take part in the community spirit across Rhondda Cynon Taf.
I also want to congratulate everyone who sat their GCSEs and A-Levels. It is an immensely stressful period of a young person’s life and it is only right that we recognise their hard work and I sincerely wish them luck on whatever their next steps are.
Although exam results day is a period to celebrate achievement, the start of a new school year also brings challenges for many students and parents across RCT, in particular the high costs of school uniforms and necessities for school, and we must be mindful that this is a very worrying time for some families.
I therefore, want to raise attention to a Pupil Development Grant available to help support the costs of uniforms and is available through the RCT council website www.rctcbc.gov.uk.
In addition to paying for school uniforms, I also know it is a very troubling time for households in terms of rising energy and food costs, and I would like to draw your attention to two things.
Firstly, the UK Government is going to provide another huge package of financial support which will be announced soon from our new Prime Minister, and secondly, energy companies, Welsh Water and broadband suppliers are, in some instances, able to offer reduced bills for people who are on a limited income in the form of a social tariff.
These companies also have debt advice teams and in many cases are able to review payment plans and offer help and support. Also, moving to a water meter could help you save a huge amount on your bill, and it is worthwhile looking up CCWater.org.uk which has a useful online calculator showing how much you could save.
Finally, because of the current high costs of living, I believe it is wholly irresponsible for the Welsh Government to have prioritised spending £100m per term to expand the Senedd and create an extra 36 politicians.
I am particularly annoyed that the money to pay for these extra politicians and staff will come from existing Welsh Government budgets such as health and education.
I can think of an almost limitless number of things to better spend that money on such as helping reduce Wales’ colossal NHS waiting lists which now stands at over 700,000 people or helping councils offer more support to struggling households.
This proposal shows that the Welsh Government has its priorities wrong and is out of touch with what Wales needs.