‘The Voice’ didn’t "want" Ricky Wilson as a judge on the new series next year.
The Kaiser Chiefs frontman walked away from the singing show in 2016 after his contestant Kevin Simm won the series but, although it was his decision to leave the programme, he has admitted he wouldn’t be able to return even if he wanted to as ITV – who swiped the rights to the show from the BBC last year – didn’t want him.
Speaking on his radio show, the 39-year-old singer said: "Sorry, I’m not going to be on ‘The Voice’ next year. They didn’t want me. They said I could audition as a contestant."
Despite Ricky confirming he isn’t returning when the show hits screens in January, he previously admitted he would love to go back to ‘The Voice’.
He said: "I’d love to go back to ‘The Voice’. It’s loads of fun. I’d go back tomorrow if they asked me. I’m glad I took some time off – like anything, if you get used to it you get jaded by it, so I’m glad to step away from it but there’s situations where you step away from it and then you’re not invited back.
"But one day I’d like to be go back, either that or something else. If you asked my partner she’d say I hated it. I probably hate doing it but I love having done it."
The comments were made after Gavin Rossdale was revealed to have been axed from show due to programme bosses feeling he lacked charisma earlier this year.
The 51-year-old musician joined the show when it moved from the BBC to ITV but bosses are now already lining up McFly’s Danny Jones to replace him after he impressed on ‘The Voice Kids’.
Ricky Wilson not returning to The Voice
