An emotional Sir Tom Jones is left floored in tonight’s episode of The Voice after the legendary crooner comes face to face with the son of an old friend.
Show judge Sir Tom, 78, can barely hold back the tears when he realises an auditioning contestant for the ITV show is related to Lonnie Donegan – reputed to be the most influential British recording artist before The Beatles’ fame.
Peter Donegan, 35, is picked to join Sir Tom’s team. But the stunned It’s Not Unusual star admits meeting Peter during the blind auditions leaves him all of a flutter after the unexpected trip down memory lane.
“I didn’t know Lonnie had a son that young,” he tells his fellow judges Will.i.am, Jennifer Hudson and Olly Murs.
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Known as the King of Skiffle, Lonnie – also the voice behind hit singles Cumberland Gap, Gamblin’ Man and My Old Man’s a Dustman – died in 2002.
He penned Never Gonna Fall In Love Again which was performed and released by Sir Tom over fifty years ago in 1967.
However, despite it being half a century since the song’s initial success, it is far from forgotten for Sir Tom.
And neither has it passed Peter by, which viewers will be able to see this evening as the hopeful star and Sir Tom perform an unscheduled version of it together for the TV cameras.
Sir Tom reflected on the poignant moment: “I couldn’t believe it. Never Gonna Fall In Love Again is a song that I still do in my act.
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“It was quite emotional singing it. A couple of the notes I couldn’t get out. It just stuck in my throat.”
County music singer-songwriter Peter, who according to his Twitter account lives in Florida, has gigs lined up in the UK for later this month and March.
But with his musical pedigree, heritage and Sir Tom’s backing, will he be able to make those dates if he goes all the way to the finals of The Voice?
Also included in the first round of contenders are a tree surgeon, a West End singer and a Welsh fireman.
– The Voice begins tonight, Saturday January 5, at 8pm on ITV
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