The Voice UK launches new app for series three

In January 2014, The Voice UK returns to BBC One for a third series. With new coaches Kylie Minogue and Ricky Wilson joining will.i.am and Sir Tom Jones, this year’s show is set to deliver more entertainment, world-class vocal talent and unmissable action. And to ensure audiences don’t miss out on any of the excitement, wherever they are, the BBC is launching a free The Voice UK app for fans with iOS and Android mobile devices.

The Voice UK App features the HomeCoach Game which puts audiences in the coaches’ chairs and lets them listen to exclusive Blind Audition previews and decide whether they’d turn based on the quality of the voice alone. If the coaches turn for the same artists during the show play along, the user earns stars. Players can also rate the performances, check out the other HomeCoaches’ decisions and compare their scores with friends via Facebook. The game functionality will develop further as the show goes on.

In addition to the HomeCoach Game, the app features the online exclusive spin-off series, The Voice Louder. Hosted by Emma Willis and Marvin Humes, The Voice Louder will contain a short show summary, humorous behind-the-scenes material and will encourage users to send in pictures, tweets and videos. The Voice Louder will also be available on BBC iPlayer.

And, building on what fans loved from series two, the latest section of the app will give viewers access to performance clips, news, galleries and backstage videos and an integrated Twitter feed to keep users across the online buzz.

The Voice UK has always had a strong online presence and series three is set to be no different. The BBC’s Voice UK site will give viewers exclusive access to show highlights and a regularly updated blog, as well as track listings for each episode. For the first time, viewers will be able to vote online for free during the live finals. And via BBC Playlister, the original versions of each song will be available on The Voice UK playlist on Spotify. Exclusive pictures and clips will also be available on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest and Tumblr.

Sarah Clay, BBC Online Commissioning Editor, said: “Last year’s Voice Predictor app was popular with fans, but this year we wanted to put the audience in the coaches’ chairs - make them HomeCoaches, give them a chance to rate performances and say whether they’d turn. The focus of the game has shifted from prediction to opinion – what would you do? How good a coach would you be? We wanted to make the experience feel more social (with Facebook and Twitter integration), richer and more immediate, with the addition of clips delivered straight to people’s devices. With over 55 million views to The Voice UK clips last series, adding clips to the app seemed like a must.”

Diane Glynn, Executive Digital Producer, said: “This is a really exciting new series for The Voice and our digital and interactive offerings reflect that. We’re ramping up our social media content and inviting viewers to get more involved. We’ll reflect their social activity in our spin-off show, The Voice Louder, which in itself is a much richer offering this year – it’s hosted by the main show’s presenters, Emma and Marvin, and includes original features and a new UGC section, as well as the usual behind-the-scenes access and a humorous take on the show highlights. It will also for the first time be available in BBC iPlayer and in the app.”

The Voice is developed by Dutch media entrepreneur John de Mol’s company, Talpa Media and is produced for the BBC in close cooperation between Wall to Wall Media and Talpa Media. The Voice UK app has been built by Tellybug.

Notes to Editors

Viewers with The Voice Predictor app from series two can update their app automatically by selecting ‘update’ within the app store.