Sir Tom Jones has an unusual way of beating his pain - lying upside down.
The 82-year-old singer is back for another series of The Voice UK alongside fellow judges Olly Murs, Anne-Marie and will.i.am, and he has revealed just how he keeps his pain at a minimum as he gets ready for the show. Tom was chatting at ITV's Autumn entertainment schedule launch earlier this week, where he explained how he combats his pain.
Tom was forced to deny earlier this year that he had cancelled a show because he collapsed, instead confirming it was to do with a diagnosis of viral laryngitis. He now relies on a walking stick, but insists he's doing really well.
Speaking to The Mirror and other press about his pre-show rituals, he said: "I have an inversion table in my dressing room, so I lie upside down for a couple of minutes and then you come up and then you can walk.
"You can get off that and think, oh that's great and you can walk because it hasn't settled down yet. I can do four songs like that, then it starts to go, so in my show, I sit down for The Windmills Of Your Mind and then I would get up and do some more.
When it was suggested he could bring the inversion table on stage and sing some songs like that, he quipped back: "I tried singing upside down but all the audience would have to stand on their heads too."
And asked if he sounded the same when he sang upside down, he joked: "Now that's a good question!"
He insisted he is more than comfortable sitting down on a stool, as it takes away the pain. "I found I can sing easier sitting than standing, so I said I hope they don't mind when I go to America and I'll be sitting down," he added, before revealing his son then replied to him to say: "He said, don't worry about it, you get a better review sitting down than when you're standing up."
Tom also revealed he isn't taking any painkillers at present, as he explained how his walking stick helps him through.
It had been reported Tom Jones had collapsed before a show in Budapest, but he later confirmed the forced postponement was instead due to "viral laryngitis" as he rubbished rumours he had taken a turn and fainted.
"Hello to all concerned: I travelled last night from the UK to Budapest and woke this morning with an uncomfortable throat," he said at the time, "A specialist came to visit and diagnosed 'viral laryngitis'. He strongly advised postponing this evening's show and prescribed medication and vocal rest. I did NOT 'collapse' anywhere at any time, that is pure rumour.
"Hopefully the inflammation will calm soon as I am looking forward to continuing my wonderful summer tour."
*The Voice returns to ITV on Saturday September 3.
