BBC considers axing The Voice as ITV is poised to take over

The Mirror Online has reported that so far The Voice United Kingdom has cost the BBC a whopping £55 million.

Another source went on to state: “The BBC has had no choice but to walk away”.

He said: “The Voice has been very popular, but the fact it was contested between the BBC and ITV, the result was to force up the money paid for it. It was going to be on free-to-air so should the BBC get into bidding wars?”

What we do know is that The Voice United Kingdom will air on the BBC in 2016 as normal, but after the 2016 series comes to a close, the format then belongs to ITV.

It’s claimed that the Beeb is set to announce a new three-year-deal any time soon which will secure The Voice UK’s future until at least 2019.

ITV had apparently offered to pay the same amount as the BBC pays now (£11m a year) alongside spin-offs, such as a kids version of the show.

Buried amid all the excitement of the new series of The Voice United Kingdom, which has started its audition process, there’s been a whole spinning chair full of confusion, with claims that the show could be cut from the BBC after the next series.

The corporation came under serious pressure in August when Culture Secretary John Whittingdale made it clear that he thought the BBC had wasted licence payers’ money competing with ITV for The Voice, which stars Paloma Faith, will-i-am, Boy George and Ricky Wilson.

While ITV may not be airing the show they’ll still have quite a say in its running: Earlier this year ITV brought out the production company that makes the programme, prompting the first rumours that the channel was keen to take over.

The BBC has previously launched a defence of popular programming like The Voice and The Great British Bake Off, saying that licence fee payers expect the BBC to “deliver entertainment”.

The BBC said: “We wouldn’t comment on negotiations”. He’s an avid Big Brother viewer, and loves Pic n Mix.