Will: Biz so tough
and some artwork, the man who bought it wanted the whole thing. So he bought it all. But that was great for me because I wouldn’t have been able to put all that in a flat anyway.”
Tom first moved to the US in the 1970s after becoming one of the biggest names in pop.
But he has now returned home for good. He said: “I am back in the UK permanently now. The reason for that is that my wife passed away.
“The thing is, I’ve always had a British passport. I had a green card. I never became an American citizen.”
Tom credits starring on telly talent contest The Voice for helping him cope with losing Linda.
He was back on screens last night for the start of the new series, alongside fellow coaches Jennifer Hudson, will.i.am and Olly Murs.
Millions of viewers saw the singer securing Manchester lass Chloe Jones for his team of acts.
In recent months, Tom has also been recovering from a hip operation. But he is now back to his best.
He said: “My leg’s working great now…I walk. It’s like nothing ever happened.
“I’m OK for dancing on stage. The gyration isn’t the same but that is nothing to do with the leg – that’s to do with age!” HIT MAN: will.i.am WILL.I.AM reckons The Voice has struggled to find a star because the music industry is too tough.
He said: “Let’s call it for what it is, it is tough in the industry right now. Hardly anyone was successful in 2017. Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus came out with stuff and they weren’t successful.
“Even the stars are having a hard time. “Ed Sheeran did well but that’s one person out of a f ****** thousand.
“It’s hard because everyone has access to the same playlists on Spotify. The industry has changed and it’s changing. Until it’s found solid ground The Voice is important for people to find visibility.
“Every single person gets the chance to shine and be a star for that hour.”
None of The Voice’s six winners has had long-term success despite the show being a ratings hit.
Fellow coach Tom Jones said: “We all wonder ‘what happened to that person – what went wrong there?’.
“That is always the leading question ‘when are you going to get a star?’.”
Will, 42, is convinced the show should continue even if it fails to find a top recording artist.
He said: “I don’t think viewers are angry about that. They’re not saying ‘I want my money back’.”
And he has vowed to take a different approach to make an act from this year’s series a star. He said: “I want someone who could sing songs I have in my hard drive and go well with the producers I have access to.”