Cate McHugh, a 31-year-old singer from Llantwit Major in the Vale of Glamorgan, has been crowned the winner of The Voice UK. The performer, who started her career busking in Cardiff, expressed her shock at the result, telling viewers, “I did it.” Speaking after the show, McHugh, 31, said: “I won The Voice. I just waited because I didn’t know that anything had happened and then Tom Jones started talking,” McHugh said.
Competition Success and Prizes
- Cash prize: £50,000
- Contract: Professional recording deal
- Debut single: A cover of The Beatles classic Blackbird
McHugh celebrated the win at a watch party in Cardiff, sharing footage of her friends and family on social media. She stated that she is “entirely gobsmacked” and has yet to process the magnitude of the win, adding: “From the bottom of my heart I want to say THANK YOU for following my journey, and joining my world! This is where it’s going to REALLY get fun!” I’m entirely gobsmacked and absolutely haven’t fully processed this information just yet. Some of her family members could be seen celebrating in the audience during the show.
Musical Journey and Challenges
McHugh, who is registered blind due to the degenerative sight condition Stargardt disease, noted that she began singing lessons at age six and turned professional at 15. At 22 she was diagnosed with degenerative sight condition Stargardt disease during her second year at music school and is registered blind.
The condition, which she shares with her mother, impacts her central vision. During her blind audition, this meant she was unaware that Sir Tom Jones had turned his chair until she heard his voice. She described the experience of joining Team Tom as “absolutely undescribable.” Her rendition of Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars song Die With A Smile prompted Sir Tom to hit the button to turn his chair around after hearing her. According to she, Her “fantastic mother” has the same condition and has been an inspiration to her over the years, “working around anything that might be affecting her physically or mentally”.
Sir Tom Jones’ Final Appearance
The finale marked a poignant conclusion for Sir Tom Jones, who has served as a coach on the series intermittently since 2012. Amid speculation he had been “dropped” from its 2027 series, he shared the news on Instagram in September.
The 86-year-old Pontypridd native revealed in September that ITV had decided to fire him from the panel, sparking significant media attention. The It’s Not Unusual and What’s New Pussycat? singer made headlines after revealing that ITV had “made the decision” to “fire” him from the show’s coaching panel.
Beyond his work on the show, Sir Tom is currently navigating his Come Gather Round world tour.
However, he recently announced the need to reschedule or cancel several upcoming United States concerts due to a severe case of the flu, expressing his sincere apologies to his fans.
Reflecting on the final performance, the duo collaborated on a duet of John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” McHugh previously credited her mother as a major inspiration for maintaining resilience in the face of physical challenges, and she recalled the excitement of her parents’ reaction when she first informed them she had been selected for Team Tom.
