The Voice UK’s live shows have been axed, it has been reported.
It's said the popular ITV show has been pre-recorded this year, with every episode of the series having already been filmed — including the final show.
It would be a first for the competition, with all other series having aired episodes live in the UK.
A show insider told the Daily Star : "Everything has been filmed. It was all done by mid-February.
"Live shows are very expensive to do. Pre-recording episodes is a much cheaper way of making TV.
"Lots of big shows are all pre-recorded in full — The Masked Singer, Starstruck, Bake Off, and Drag Race are some of them.
"The days of super-expensive X Factor-style live shows every weekend throughout the autumn are long gone."
The move will not only see ITV save money on production costs, but will also prevent the show from being derailed should Covid restrictions be reintroduced.
But the decision is not without risks, as the show - due to air in several months' time - now runs the risk of results being leaked.
ITV bosses took measures to ensure only a handful of people saw the winner being announced, but there are concerns the news will get out nonetheless.
The insider added that the biggest worry for bosses is that the result will surface on social media before the episodes air.
They say it would cause a "major headache" and that many viewers wouldn't bother tuning if they already knew the outcome.
Coaches Olly Murs, will.i.am, Anne-Marie and Sir Tom Jones have all returned for the 2022 series, ready to mentor a new batch of hopeful singers.
The Voice UK is one of ITV's most popular competition shows, often attracting four million viewers on Saturday nights.
It initially premiered on BBC One in 2012 and has now aired ten seasons.
Winners of the show receive a recording contract with Polydor Records, and past victors have included Kevin Simm and Mo Adeniran.
Last year new coach Anne Marie, who joined the hit show last year, was victorious when her mentee Craig Eddie was crowned the winner.
Speaking about the advice his mentor gave him following his win, Craig said: "I think I got too fixated on getting through to the next stage and I got to the point where I probably wasn’t enjoying it as much as I could.
"So [Anne-Marie] told me to just look around, to take everything in and to enjoy the experience."
A spokesperson for ITV told The Mirror: "The Voice UK is back on ITV and ITV Hub later this year."
