Will.i.am, Mike Ward and The Voice UK Final Result

will.i.am - The Voice UK Final 2013

Photographer: Guy Levy. Image Copyright: BBC

Saturday nights live final of The Voice UK saw Andrea Begley take the shows 2013 title, but as the show went on it became all too apparent there was only one artist will.i.am was going to accept as the winner.

Understandably Will was giving full backing to his singer Leah McFall but at times this support verged on disrespect for the other three finalist.

The point The Black Eyed Peas star was trying to make was the contestant who had the most unique voice and the best chance of worldwide success was Leah and that may well be true. If this was a private record company audition then Leah would most likely have received the record deal.

The thing is The Voice is a television show and it’s the public who decide the winner, their not voting for who could potentially sell the most records or make the most money. The viewers at home are simply voting for who they most enjoy listening to, different people have different musical tastes and everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Following country singer Mike Ward’s last performance of ‘Don’t Close Your Eyes’ which for the record was our favorite of the entire series, will.i.am felt the need to suggest some of his notes were flat. That’s his opinion which is fine but why bring up this controversial criticism at that moment? Mike had just sung his last song of the competition which the crowd loved, why give a negative comment now other than to bring him down.

Was this tactics on Will’s part? Did he see Mike Ward as the biggest threat to Leah winning? It’s fair enough if he’s not a country music fan but millions of other people are, especially since the urban cowboy has increased its popularity during series 2 of The Voice.

Thankfully coach Sir Tom Jones later stood up for his artist and said what millions at home had been thinking, by categorically stating Mike had not been flat.

Of course as things turned out it was Andrea, who was awesome throughout whom Will should have been more worried about. In fact as the name of the winner was finally announced, the only person who looked more upset and disappointed than will.i.am was Andrea’s own mum. I guess we’ll put that one down to shock.

It’s obvious will.i.am is the type of person who likes to be in control and doesn’t like being at the mercy of the public vote, but that’s what you get when you sign up to be a judge/coach on a TV talent show.

Let’s face it though, Leah McFall will clearly go on to have success in the music industry despite failing to win, as should Mike, though likely among different audiences.

Overall though we think the standard of this years final was very high and far more enjoyable than last years Voice or X Factor.