The next series of The Voice will be the last on the BBC, the corporation has confirmed.
Mark Linsey, acting director of BBC Television, said that “another broadcaster” – believed to be ITV – has poached the talent show, which is filmed in MediaCityUK.
The next series, the fifth, begins in January. It is currently made for BBC One by Talpa – which was acquired by ITV earlier this year for £355m – and Wall to Wall.
Linsey 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 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.”
Last month the BBC said it had made a “final” bid to keep the show for two more years.
Boy George and Paloma Faith will join will.i.am and Ricky Wilson on the judging panel for the next series, replacing previous judges Tom Jones and Rita Ora.
