Sir Tom Jones has taken a swipe at The X Factor's Simon Cowell, saying that music executives like him are not in a position to judge talent when they've never sung live. The 71-year-old Welsh crooner, a panellist on BBC One's new music talent show The Voice, revealed he did not sign up until he knew his fellow judges were musicians too. He is joined by Jessie J, will.i.am and The Script's Danny O'Donoghue as coaches on the series, which is set to go head to head with Simon's other show Britain's Got Talent when they launch on March 24. Sir Tom said he had never wanted to do talent shows like The X Factor and American Idol because not all the judges could sing themselves. The It's Not Unusual star said: "I watched other talent shows and I thought: 'Now hang on a minute. How can this person, not mentioning any names, but how can he or she give singers advice if they've never gone through it themselves?' "I think you have to have stood up on that stage and gone for auditions, and be able to take the: 'You were great but no thank you.' You have to be able to take that. And you have to have experienced that to be able to do it." Unlike The X Factor, judges for rival show The Voice sit with their backs to the stage so they cannot see the auditionees and must judge them purely on their vocal ability. If the judges like what they hear they press a button and their chair spins around to allow them to offer themselves as vocal coach to that contestant. The Voice will be hosted by Reggie Yates and former Xtra Factor presenter Holly Willoughby.
