Tom Jones’ Tearful Tribute on ‘The Voice’: “If It’s Not Linda, I’ll Never Sing This Song Again!”

The Voice UK returns this Saturday, welcoming a fresh line-up of hopeful contestants eager to impress the judges. Sir Tom Jones, Olly Murs, Anne-Marie, and Will.i.am will all reclaim their iconic red chairs, with Emma Willis at the helm as host. In an exclusive conversation with Express.co.uk and other press outlets, Anne-Marie revealed there will be plenty of “emotional” moments awaiting fans of the ITV series.

The 2002 hitmaker revealed she had to “step away” from The Voice set during Sir Tom’s heartfelt performance of “Crumble,” a song he dedicated to his late wife, Linda Trenchard.

Reflecting on that moment, Anne-Marie shared:
“Tom sang ‘Crumble’ for his wife, and I had to leave—not because it was bad, but because it was so emotional. I think this really shows why he’s stayed at the top for so long: he truly feels every word he sings, and every song he releases is meaningful to him.”

Tom Jones delivered a poignant performance of his song “Crumble” as a tribute to his late wife, Linda. “He was singing that song, and he said, ‘This is to my wife,’ and it just f****d me up,” one of the judges admitted.

Olly Murs added, “To see someone who loved his wife so much, you could feel the pain.”

Sir Tom first met Linda when they were teenagers, and they married at the age of 16. They later welcomed their son, Mark, who has gone on to help manage his father’s career.

 

 

The 2002 hitmaker revealed she had to “step away” from The Voice set during Sir Tom’s heartfelt performance of “Crumble,” a song he dedicated to his late wife, Linda Trenchard.

Reflecting on that moment, Anne-Marie shared:

“Tom sang ‘Crumble’ for his wife, and I had to leave—not because it was bad, but because it was so emotional. I think this really shows why he’s stayed at the top for so long: he truly feels every word he sings, and every song he releases is meaningful to him.”

Tom Jones delivered a poignant performance of his song “Crumble” as a tribute to his late wife, Linda. “He was singing that song, and he said, ‘This is to my wife,’ and it just f****d me up,” one of the judges admitted.

Olly Murs added, “To see someone who loved his wife so much, you could feel the pain.”

 

Sir Tom first met Linda when they were teenagers, and they married at the age of 16. They later welcomed their son, Mark, who has gone on to help manage his father’s career.

The couple spent nearly six decades together before Linda passed away from cancer in 2016.

Since her death, Sir Tom has been vocal about their life together, often sharing cherished memories. He has also performed a heartfelt tribute song in her honor on The Voice.

Despite the heartache of losing his childhood sweetheart, Sir Tom has continued to write and share music. However, he admits performing on stage isn’t as effortless as it once was. Now walking with a stick, the “Sex Bomb” hitmaker prefers sitting down during performances because standing for long stretches has become difficult.

Speaking about his health, he explained, “I can manage about four songs… I can walk onstage. I have an inversion table in my dressing room, so I hang upside down for a couple of minutes. It feels good at first—I can walk, but eventually the pain sets in. So, I’ll sit during ‘Windmills of Your Mind,’ which I’ve always done, but now I don’t get back up.”