BBC loses The Voice to rival broadcaster
BBC bosses have confirmed The Voice will not be returning to the public broadcaster after the fifth series airs in January.
Instead the long-running singing competition will move to an as yet unknown network, though it is heavily speculated that ITV has 'poached' the show.
In a statement, Mark Linsey, acting director of BBC Television, said: 'The BBC is incredibly proud of 'The Voice' but the fifth series which starts in January will be our last.
'We always said we wouldn't get into a bidding war or pay inflated prices to keep the show, and it's a testament to how the BBC has built the programme up - and established it into a mainstay of the Saturday night schedule - that another broadcaster has poached it.'
The final judging line-up for the The Voice on BBC1 will be Will.i.am, Ricky Wilson, Paloma Faith and Boy George.
According to The Times, ITV will air a revamped version of The Voice some time in 2017 - what that means for its struggling talent series The X Factor remains to be seen. The commercial broadcaster originally lost out on a bidding war for the show four years ago.
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