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The Voice heads to ITV

UK commercial broadcaster ITV has confirmed that it will air singing competition format The Voice and a junior version in 2017.

The Voice: headed to ITV

The Voice: headed to ITV

ITV has agreed a three-year deal for the Saturday night programme with Talpa Global, as well as a three-season commitment for an ITV2 spin-off show.

The broadcaster, which acquired John de Mol’s Talpa Media for £355m (US$531.7m) earlier this year, has also signed a two-series contract for the show’s junior version, The Voice Kids.

The news follows the announcement that the fifth season of the show, which debuts early next year, will be the last to feature on BBC1, ending months of speculation that ITV would step in to take the rights.

Since its Dutch premiere in 2010, The Voice has been adapted into 65 local versions across 180 countries, while The Voice Kids has nearly 30 local adaptations.

“ITV is the natural home of big entertainment so we are thrilled that The Voice and The Voice Kids are both joining our family alongside brilliant shows like The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent, Saturday Night Takeaway and I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here,” said ITV director of television Peter Fincham.

ITV missed out on The Voice in 2011 after the BBC won rights for £20m – but the deal has since been criticised by the likes of UK culture secretary John Whittingdale, who questioned whether it was the right way to spend licence fee payers’ money.

Last month, ITV called for the BBC to be banned from remaking international formats such as The Voice.

ITV’s deal comes as Talpa Media faces a copyright lawsuit over the music format. Irishman Roy Barry has claimed that he filed a copyright for the talent show in 2008 with the title: The Voice of America.

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