As if the blind auditions weren’t tough enough for the hopeful singers on The Voice UK, their next challenge is set to push them to the limit: the Battle Rounds.
The second round of the ITV contest will see the acts compete directly with one another, leaving no room for error as they try to impress their coach – either Jennifer Hudson, Olly Murs, Sir Tom Jones or will.i.am.
But how exactly does the round work? And what’s all this talk about stealing acts? Here’s everything you need to know.
When are the Battle Rounds on TV?
The Battle Rounds are set to start 8pm, 23rd February 2019, ITV.
What acts are on what teams?
With the blind auditions still underway, the coaches’ teams aren’t yet filled up. However, you can see the acts that have already made it to the Battle Rounds so far here.
How do the Battle Rounds actually work?
It’s oh so simple, but oh so brutal. Each round sees two acts from the same team go head-to-head, duetting on a song, with the relevant coach sending only one of them into the next round.
This effectively cuts each coach’s team of 10 singers in half. However, hope isn’t completely lost for those who aren’t selected by their coach…
What are ‘steals’?
If an act isn’t selected by their coach after the battle then it’s not necessarily the end of the competition for them. If a fellow coach presses their button they can ‘steal’ that act, meaning the singer – who would have otherwise been eliminated – will have a second chance, joining the team of that coach.
However, the coaches can’t save every contestant from elimination: each mentor only has one steal. If more than one coach tries to steal an act, the lucky singer gets to pick which side to join.
The steals mean that each coach should finish the Battle Rounds with six acts on their team.
The Voice UK is on Saturdays on ITV
