Inside The Voice coaches Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones’ friendship

For a generation of young fans, Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones were two key members of the beloved boyband McFly.

But while they enjoyed a string of hits together in the early Noughties, it wasn’t always an easy time for the pair, with tensions leading to the band’s break in 2016.

In the years since McFly went on hiatus, both Tom and Danny have discussed the dramas that beset the group, with the former admitting that they went through some form of ‘marriage counselling’ before reforming in 2019.

But since McFly’s reunion, any behind-the-scenes clashes are well into the past, with the group continuing to delight thousands of fans at shows across the country. 

And Tom and Danny are now set to join The Voice UK as the show’s first ever joint coaches, alongside LeeAnn Rhymes, Tom Jones and will.i.am, when the new series kicks off on August 31.

MailOnline takes a look-back at Tom and Danny’s long-standing friendship, as the duo hope to find the UK’s next big singing star… 

Tom and Danny’s friendship began back before McFly was even formed, with the pair meeting during auditions for a band in Manchester.

In a 2020 interview with BBC Radio 2, Danny shared that he was queuing up to join a brand new boyband, where Tom was already involved.

While Danny failed to impress with his dance moves, Tom suggested that they start a band together, and they began their music journey by moving into the same house.

He said: ‘It was fun, the pinnacle of being in a band, living together effectively like studients but it was just music, Xbox, pizzas it was beer it was parties, it was just everything.’

While McFly’s career took off in 2003 with their debut album Room On The 3rd Floor, Tom predominantly took on the job of songwriting duties.

However, Danny wrote three of his own solo tracks for the first three McFly albums as well as being a producer, while also remixing some of their songs as a side project and touring the country as a DJ.

The talented writer wrote a bonus track for One Direction’s second album and their song Don’t Forget Where You Belong from third album Midnight Memories.

But it wasn’t always a smooth ride for McFly, with bandmate Harry Judd previously saying that when the band took their break, their relationships were ‘in the worst place they had been in the entire 13 years we’d known each other’ when the supergroup disbanded in 2015. 

The group ended up going on hiatus in 2016, with Tom previously sharing his fears that the band wouldn’t be close again.

He told The Sun: ‘I think we pushed it to its limits. It’s the people you love the most who are the ones you can take for granted. It’s easy to not address any issues and it’s definitely been challenging.

‘We’ve been together for 17 years, so it goes through phases and a whole evolution – we grew up together. Now it’s a new phase of our lives, with kids and families.

‘McFly was our baby before that, so it goes from being this one thing that’s the most important thing in our lives, to realising that we all also have separate things.’

Tom also described the band’s bond as being similar to a marriage, noting they needed a break in a bid to salavage the group’s friendship long-term. 

He said: ‘It’s like a marriage and a bit like we had an affair and we didn’t really know how to get through that.’

‘We had some marriage counselling, saw some other people for a while – but ultimately we didn’t get divorced.’

He also told Radio 2: ‘There are of course ups and downs its like any relationships there’s four of us and we’re four different people. 

‘Like any career there are ups and downs you have to manage, I don’t think we realised is the thing that got us through eveything is our friendship, because it’s the core of everything.

‘We are so lucky that all just get on, we are genuinely best friends, and you know having so many bands come and go over our 17 years together, I think that’s quite rare, you don’t really get bands who have the same kind of relationship that we have, and that’s the thing we’ve held onto.

‘As much as McFly is our baby, and we’re really precious of it, the one thing that we all now we need to after more than anything is our relationships and friendships with each other, and the band will always be there as long as that remains strong.’

McFly had originally only planned to reunite for a show at London’s O2 Arena, but ended up extending their plans, with a new album and a nationwide tour.

Danny previously said that if the group hadn’t taken a break, they would have struggled with burnout.

Referencing the fact that they were only meant to return for one gig, he joked: ‘The aim is not to p*** off the wives or girlfriends.’

Tom and Danny are set to appear as The Voice UK’s first ever double chair in a bid to find the UK’s next big music star.

The pair said: ‘To be making The Voice UK history as the first ever double chair combo is going to be epic and we’re both ready for the challenge. 

‘And of course, we couldn’t ask to be in greater company than our fellow Voice family members Emma, will, sir Tom and LeAnn. Roll on the talent!’ 

It comes after judge of six years, Olly Murs, was unexpectedly axed from the show last year. 

The Dear Darling singer said his team were told by ITV bosses the show was ‘looking at new people’ for the coaching role before he was kicked off the show.

Murs expressed his disappointment with ITV and said: ‘I got the call to say I won’t be back on the show, and it’s a bit of a shock, to be honest. I didn’t expect that.

‘They’ll find someone great, I’m sure. But am I going to miss it? Yeah. Did I want to leave? No. Will I still watch the show? Of course, but it’ll be sore thinking that could have been me.’

Meanwhile, Anne-Marie was also dropped from the series before the upcoming 2024 show.