The Voice Kids was in the can before lockdown

One of the effects of the Coronavirus outbreak has been the halting of production on many of our favourite TV shows.

Among those hardest hit have been talent shows and competitions – the new series of The Great British Bake Off has been delayed, while Britain’s Got Talent and The Voice UK will not be filming their finals until later in the year.

The 2020 Eurovision Song Contest was cancelled completely in May, and Little Mix’s new show, The Search, has been ‘postponed until further notice’.

Thankfully, ITV already had the fourth series of The Voice Kids in the can before the lockdown took hold so it is able to return to our screens tonight.

Black Eyed Peas rapper will.i.am, singer Pixie Lott and McFly star Danny Jones have been coaches on every run so far.

In series three, a fourth chair was brought in for Jessie J, but she has now left again to focus on her own music career. Jessie’s spot on the show will be taken by Paloma Faith, who was previously a judge on it’s sister show, The Voice: UK, in 2016.

On joining the line-up, Paloma said: “It’s going to be so much fun working with these young singers, helping them find their voices and be the best they can be.

“From what I’ve seen; although they’re small, their voices are often mighty and can give most adults a run for their money!”

Danny said: “It’s great news that Paloma is joining the show alongside Will, Pixie and myself. She’ll bring fun as well as that incredible talent. I’m looking forward to sharing the stage with her.”

The four judges take their seats in the big red spinning chairs this evening, as the latest search for young stand-out singers, aged between the ages of seven and 14, commences.

Emma Willis is also back to present the show and meet the kids and their families who will be hoping to grab one of the nine places on each coach’s team.

For those who haven’t seen it before, the format is similar to The Voice: UK – there are still blind auditions and battle rounds, but no knock-out stage.

One other difference is that if the young contestants don’t get a ‘yes’ this time around, the coaches do their best to give them enough advice to help them with their careers going forward.

Danny prevented her from taking the hat-trick, mentoring Sam Wilkinson, who performed an original song called Everything’s Alright and a duet of Hey Jude with his coach, to victory last year.

Sam got to take his family on a dream holiday, while he also received a £30,000 bursary towards his musical education, in the hope he will one day become a superstar.

Unfortunately, once these pre-recorded shows are done, we may have to wait a while for the live climax and the crowning of this year’s winner.

Emma told The One Show earlier in the year: “Like everything at the minute, you just can’t call it. We have The Voice Kids finale to do, and of course the semi-final and final of the adult version.”

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