'The Voice': Paloma Faith Blasts Gender Imbalance On Judging Panel

Ash Percival

Paloma Faith has spoken out against ‘The Voice’, admitting to feeling “pissed off” about the gender imbalance on the show's judging panel.

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The singer is a coach on the BBC One talent show, alongside Ricky Wilson, will.i.am and Boy George, but says she'd like one of the spaces on the panel to go to another woman.

<strong>Paloma Faith with 'The Voice' coaches Will.i.am Boy George and Ricky Wilson</strong> (Photo: David M. Benett via Getty Images)
Paloma Faith with 'The Voice' coaches Will.i.am Boy George and Ricky Wilson (Photo: David M. Benett via Getty Images)

Speaking to the Daily Express about being outnumbered on the judging team, she said: “I think they should change it. They said it was a formatting thing, they keep telling me. That’s what I’ve been told, I don’t know.

“I think you should ask them, I’m really pissed off about it, I think there should be two women. Two women and two men is equal, right?”

The show has always featured three males and one female coach since the first series in 2012, with previous names on the panel including Jessie J, Kylie Minogue and Rita Ora, with the US series also sticking to the same ratio of men to women across its 10 seasons.

<strong>Paloma with her 'The Voice' finalists Angela Scanlon, Beth Morris and Heather Cameron-Hayes</strong> (Photo: David M. Benett via Getty Images)
Paloma with her 'The Voice' finalists Angela Scanlon, Beth Morris and Heather Cameron-Hayes (Photo: David M. Benett via Getty Images)

This is not the first time Paloma has risked the wrath of show bosses, however, as they were previously forced to deny the show was fixed, after she made a bold claim about an agreement she'd apparently made with Ricky.

She revealed that she and the Kaiser Chiefs frontman had agreed they would swap contestant Kevin Simm during the battle round, telling The Mirror: “Losing Kevin was the hardest battle round decision. I wasn’t sleeping because of it. So Ricky and I agreed beforehand that he would take Kevin.

“I sent Kevin an email afterwards to tell him I thought he could win the whole competition and to explain that I knew he’d be saved.”

<strong>Paloma was at the centre of a fix row on 'The Voice'</strong> (Photo: John Giles/PA Wire)
Paloma was at the centre of a fix row on 'The Voice' (Photo: John Giles/PA Wire)

A spokesperson later told the Evening Standard: “The conversation between Ricky and Paloma before that battle record was her asking him to steal Kevin if she didn’t choose him. He did not agree or disagree.”

‘The Voice’ continues on Saturday at 7pm on BBC One.

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Lydia Lucy (Finalist, 2016)

will.i.am kept his promise of further support, and Lydia performed with the Black Eyed Peas at the Capital Summertime Ball, just months after her series ended.
will.i.am kept his promise of further support, and Lydia performed with the Black Eyed Peas at the Capital Summertime Ball, just months after her series ended.

Jermain Jackman (Winner, 2014)

It seemed the BBC may finally have found a star with Jermain. Regrettably, this wasn't the case, and his debut album peaked at number 42 in the charts after its 2015 release.
It seemed the BBC may finally have found a star with Jermain. Regrettably, this wasn't the case, and his debut album peaked at number 42 in the charts after its 2015 release.

Leanne Mitchell (Winner, 2012)

Sadly, the show's first ever winner found herself dropped in 2014, after releasing just one album. <br /><br />Leanne later blamed the fact her label waited too long after her victory on 'The Voice' in releasing the album for its lack of commercial success, claiming she was still happy she didn't "cop out" and release a covers album.
Sadly, the show's first ever winner found herself dropped in 2014, after releasing just one album.

Leanne later blamed the fact her label waited too long after her victory on 'The Voice' in releasing the album for its lack of commercial success, claiming she was still happy she didn't "cop out" and release a covers album.

Tyler James (Runner-up, 2012)

Tyler "I Was Best Friends With Amy Winehouse" James (she's mentioned six times <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyler_James_(English_musician)" target="_blank">on his Wikipedia page alone</a>) was a fan favourite during the first series of 'The Voice', famously performing a duet with will.i.am dangling from the ceiling. <br /><br />This didn't translate to a fruitful music career, though, and his last offering in 2012 stalled at number 47 in the UK album chart.
Tyler "I Was Best Friends With Amy Winehouse" James (she's mentioned six times on his Wikipedia page alone) was a fan favourite during the first series of 'The Voice', famously performing a duet with will.i.am dangling from the ceiling.

This didn't translate to a fruitful music career, though, and his last offering in 2012 stalled at number 47 in the UK album chart.

Bo Bruce Runner-up, 2012)

Despite having the most commercial success of any of the former 'Voice' stars, Bo didn't have an easy time after leaving the competition, and quit her record label after two singles due to a "lack of support", before eventually checking into rehab for exhaustion. <br /><br />She's since branded former coach Danny<i> </i>O'Donoghue a "wanker" after admitting that they shared a snog while she was still being mentored by him on the show.
Despite having the most commercial success of any of the former 'Voice' stars, Bo didn't have an easy time after leaving the competition, and quit her record label after two singles due to a "lack of support", before eventually checking into rehab for exhaustion.

She's since branded former coach Danny O'Donoghue a "wanker" after admitting that they shared a snog while she was still being mentored by him on the show.

Vince Kidd (Fourth place, 2012)

Vince has continued to make music since appearing on the show, releasing four singles, though none managed to chart in the UK. 
Vince has continued to make music since appearing on the show, releasing four singles, though none managed to chart in the UK. 

Twinnie Lee Moore (2002)

She was already a successful musical theatre actress when she auditioned for 'The Voice', but none of the judges turned their chairs for Twinnie. <br /><br />Since then, she's focussed on acting and in 2014, began playing a McQueen in 'Hollyoaks'. She also, judging from this photo, loves a good hat.
She was already a successful musical theatre actress when she auditioned for 'The Voice', but none of the judges turned their chairs for Twinnie.

Since then, she's focussed on acting and in 2014, began playing a McQueen in 'Hollyoaks'. She also, judging from this photo, loves a good hat.

Jamie Johnson (Fourth place, 2014)

Jamie continued to remain in the public eye after the show, and in 2015, declared that he was going to try and make a splash in America, insisting: <a href="http://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/voice-star-jamie-johnson-on-29913/" target="_blank">"I just don’t want half the cake, I want the whole cake."<br /><br /></a>While it seems he may not have been successful, Jamie is continuing to make music and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jamiejohnsonmusic/" target="_blank">keeps fans updated online</a>. 
Jamie continued to remain in the public eye after the show, and in 2015, declared that he was going to try and make a splash in America, insisting: "I just don’t want half the cake, I want the whole cake."

While it seems he may not have been successful, Jamie is continuing to make music and keeps fans updated online. 

Leah McFall (Finalist, 2013)

Leah's cover of 'I Will Always Love You' may have charted at number 8 while she was on the show, but her efforts after the competition couldn't match it. <br /><br />Despite support from will.i.am - who invited her to support him on tour - Leah's debut album failed to materialise, and she was quietly dropped by her label.
Leah's cover of 'I Will Always Love You' may have charted at number 8 while she was on the show, but her efforts after the competition couldn't match it.

Despite support from will.i.am - who invited her to support him on tour - Leah's debut album failed to materialise, and she was quietly dropped by her label.

Andrea Begley (Winner, 2013)

Andrea famously caused will.i.am to storm off set when she was announced as winner over his act, Leah McFall. <br /><br />Andrea had huge success - by The Voice's standards... - in 2013, when her debut album charted a number 7. <br /><br />We haven't heard much from her since then though, and after its release, she completed her Masters degree in Law and Governance... which would appear to suggest we won't be hearing a follow-up anytime soon. 
Andrea famously caused will.i.am to storm off set when she was announced as winner over his act, Leah McFall.

Andrea had huge success - by The Voice's standards... - in 2013, when her debut album charted a number 7. 

We haven't heard much from her since then though, and after its release, she completed her Masters degree in Law and Governance... which would appear to suggest we won't be hearing a follow-up anytime soon. 

Max Milner (2012)

Chart success wasn't Max's forte, but in early 2016, he was still making music and <a href="https://twitter.com/maxmilner7?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">sharing updates with fans</a>.
Chart success wasn't Max's forte, but in early 2016, he was still making music and sharing updates with fans.

Sally Barker (Runner-up, 2014)

Sally may not have been the winner, but she still managed thrash champion Jermain Jackman in terms of single sales, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/04/10/the-voice-uk-jermain-jackman-sally-barker-charts_n_5123537.html" target="_blank">charting 15 places higher than him the week after the show ended</a>. <br /><br />Following her success on the show, Sally completed a UK tour at the tail-end of 2014.
Sally may not have been the winner, but she still managed thrash champion Jermain Jackman in terms of single sales, charting 15 places higher than him the week after the show ended.

Following her success on the show, Sally completed a UK tour at the tail-end of 2014.

Bungle (2015)

From what we can gather, he's still living comfortably with Zippy and George in the 'Rainbow' house, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/01/05/the-voice-bungle-rainbow-auditions_n_6416110.html?utm_hp_ref=uk-the-voice" target="_blank">following his brief appearance</a>.
From what we can gather, he's still living comfortably with Zippy and George in the 'Rainbow' house, following his brief appearance.

Kevin Simm (Winner, 2016)

Former Liberty X star Kevin triumphed on what would be the last BBC series of 'The Voice'. <br /><br />Unfortunately, he couldn't break the show's curse, and his solo album 'Recover', failed to chart when it was released in October 2016.
Former Liberty X star Kevin triumphed on what would be the last BBC series of 'The Voice'.

Unfortunately, he couldn't break the show's curse, and his solo album 'Recover', failed to chart when it was released in October 2016.

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