Sir Tom Jones, the 86-year-old Welsh singer from Treforest, Rhondda Cynon Taf, has become the focus of a public campaign after he left his role as a judge on ITV's The Voice. Earlier this month, Sir Tom told his followers on social media that the broadcaster had "fired" him, sparking a wave of fan support. Superfan Aaron Howlett, 50, from Kingston-upon-Hull, started a petition that has now collected over 63,000 signatures from around the world. Howlett, who has followed Sir Tom's career for four decades, called him "one of the last living legends" and noted how his music resonates with people of all ages. Howlett highlighted a recent performance by Sir Tom in Milwaukee, USA, where the singer received a standing ovation despite being 86 years old. The event, according to Howlett, showed that Sir Tom's talent remains strong. US rapper and songwriter Will.i.am, who has also been a coach on The Voice, joined the campaign by sharing Howlett's petition on Instagram on 15 September. Howlett expressed being "overwhelmed" by the support he received, as he had doubted whether anyone would take notice when he first started the campaign. In a statement, a spokesperson for The Voice said, "We have loved working with Sir Tom Jones over the past nine years on The Voice UK. While he will no longer be a full-time coach on series 15, we continue to talk to Sir Tom and his team about his involvement in the next series." Sir Tom himself addressed the situation on social media, explaining that he was offered a reduced role that would only involve appearances without active involvement. He said he was "not thrilled" with the arrangement and joked, "There's never a good time to fire an 86-year-old who's still pretty good at his job." The 2027 series of The Voice UK was set to begin production soon, and Sir Tom had been a regular presence on the show since its early years. He has worked alongside stars such as Jessie J, Olly Murs, Kylie Minogue, and Rita Ora, and has mentored three winners of the competition. Fans from around the world have shared their support for Sir Tom on the petition, with many expressing how much his presence on the show means to them. One fan from Peterborough said she would stop watching The Voice if Sir Tom was no longer on the show, while a Canadian fan shared how her late mother had connected with Sir Tom's music during her final days.