Boy George and Paloma Faith join The Voice as coaches

Boy George and Paloma Faith have joined The Voice UK.

They have been enlisted as coaches on the fifth series of the singing competition and will act in that capacity alongside Ricky Wilson and original coach will.i.am. The coaches will all be heading to Media City in Salford, Manchester for the blind auditions next month ahead of the new series, which launches on BBC One in January 2016.

Grammy and Brit Award-winning Boy George first shot to international stardom in the 1980s as the front man of one of the UK’s biggest exports – Culture Club – selling over 50 million albums, 100 million singles and achieving top 10 hits around the world.

“I’m thrilled and excited to be a coach on The Voice UK. I’m a huge fan of the show and have watched and engaged with it from series one. If I can help someone to win I will be delighted. What a wonderful opportunity to share my experiences and help someone move forward with their musical career. I can’t wait to sit in that chair!” – Boy George

Brit Award-winning Best British Female Artist 2015, Paloma Faith shot to international stardom with her debut album Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful? in 2009. Since then, she has continued to achieve huge success with her double platinum albums Fall To Grace and A Perfect Contradiction, completing a hat trick of double platinum records for this remarkable artist.

“I’m really excited about working with creative people who are there not just to be great singers, but also innovative personalities and performers. I have a long history of helping break artists as in my club nights I booked Kate Nash, Adele, and The Noisettes before they hit the big time, and four of my band members have gone on to pursue successful solo careers. I’m really looking forward to getting my teeth into something that cultivates the talents of another person and takes the focus off myself for a bit.” – Paloma Faith

The news means that Sir Tom Jones won’t be returning for another run, while Rita Ora withdrew from the show after just one series to take up a judging role on The X Factor.

Joining the coaches again as show hosts are TV favorites Emma Willis and Marvin Humes.

“Series five looks set to be our liveliest yet: four iconic superstars all with very big personalities. I feel sure we’re on track for another fantastic series.” – The Voice UK Executive Producer, Moira Ross

Pictured: Top: Paloma Faith performing ‘Beauty Remains’ on The Voice earlier this year, Right: Boy George