Rita Ora has revealed why she swapped her role as a coach on The Voice to become a coach on The X Factor.
The Hot Right Now singer said her decision was based on her work schedules.
She will join the judging panel on the ITV show along with fellow new recruit Nick Grimshaw, and old hands Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Simon Cowell. She landed the job just over two months after finishing the 2014 series of BBC’s The Voice on which she appeared alongside Sir Tom Jones, Will.i.am and Ricky Wilson.
X Factor judges Nick Grimshaw, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Rita Ora (SYCO/Thames TV)
“It’s nothing to do with any of the coaches personally," said Rita of her former colleagues on The Voice. "I love them all. But it’s definitely something to fit in with my timetable and my schedule. It just works for me, you know?”
“And that experience I had with The Voice is surreal.”
She made the comments at the O2 Silver Clef Awards, where she picked up the Vevo Best Female prize.
Rita Ora (Ian West/PA)
The 24-year-old star, who is working on her second album, added: “I can’t wait to get started on The X Factor.”
The judges’ auditions kick off in Manchester on July 6 for four days, before heading down to London for seven days from July 14.
Rita remained tight-lipped over what viewers can expect from the show, teasing: “You’ll have to watch it – it’s going to be great though, it’s going to be fun. The most important thing is we find talent and we have fun, that’s all it is.”
Sir Tom Jones, Will.i.am, Rita Ora and Ricky Wilson judged The Voice’s 2014 series (Ian West/PA)
Sir Tom Jones said he was not bitter over Rita’s departure from The Voice.
“There was no stopping her. She’s a lovely girl and I had a great time with her on The Voice. But things move on,” he said.
