The Voice: Jessie Wallace’s boyfriend Tim Arnold flunks battle round

The singers' coach Ricky plumped for McCrorie with none of the other judges choosing to “steal” Tim, who had to perform on the night without his girlfriend watching. Wallace had filming commitments on EastEnders, according to sources on the show.

However Arnold – who once recruited Benedict Cumberbatch to a campaign to “Save Soho” from gentrification – was praised for his performance.

Ricky Wilson said: “Tim gets inside a song and tells a story. He puts everything he’s experienced into his music. Stevie gets lost in a song. He’s a hero fireman and a storyteller."

In the battle rounds, two artists from the same team compete against each other in a vocal showdown. After each battle, the artists' own coach must decide who will progress to the knockout stage – and who will be sent home.

But it’s not necessarily over for the losing artist: the other coaches can ‘steal’ a losing artist for their own team. Each coach can steal two singers.

There was better news tonight for Brooklyn, the Essex rapper who works at the hair salon run by TOWIE star Amy Childs.

She bettered Surrey rock singer Rozzy Turner with her rendition of the Guns N’ Roses classic Paradise City and was preferred by her coach will.i.am. Rozzy wasn’t stolen by any of the other coaches either.

Will explained his choice with typically imaginative language. “Rozzy Is always powerful and flawless. I was worried that little Brooklyn would get smooshed by Rozzy but little Brooklyn surprised the hell out of me. Little Brooklyn didn’t get smooshed like a cookie. So I’m choosing Brooklyn. Little Miss Muffet didn’t get smooshed.”

In the other contests, Newtion Matthews was preferred by Will over Joyful Soundz, but the soul outfit was stolen by Sir Tom Jones.

Opera singer Lucy O’Byrne was chosen by Will after singing the Andrew Lloyd Webber hit Memory. Her defeated opponent Karl Loxley was also stolen by Sir Tom.

Rita Ora chose Joe Woolford over Ryan Green, but he was stolen by Will and joins his team.

Clark Carmody bettered Olivia Lawson who was stolen by Ricky.

One of the best contests saw Mitch Miller pitted against Morven Brown with a joint rendition of Madonna’s hit Express Yourself. Miller was chosen and Morven was not stolen by any of the other coaches.

The other singers who went through were Hannah Symons, Rosa Iamele, Claudia Rose, Shellyann, Howard Rose and Sharon Murphy.

Christina Matovu also went through, a decision which reduced her opponent Jade to tears.

The results in full:

TEAM WILL

JOYFUL SOUNDZ VS NEWTION MATTHEWS

Song: Isley Brothers – Shout

WINNER: NEWTION MATTHEWS

STEAL: JOYFUL SOUNDZ (STOLEN BY TOM)

BROOKYLN VS ROZZY

Song: Guns ‘n’ Roses – Paradise City

WINNER: BROOKLYN

NO STEAL

LUCY O’BYRNE VS KARL LOXLEY

Song: Cats – Memory

WINNER: LUCY O’BYRNE

STEAL: KARL LOXLEY (STOLEN BY TOM)

TEAM RITA

RYAN GREEN VS JOE WOOLFORD

SONG: JASON MRAZ – I WON’T GIVE UP

WINNER: JOE WOOLFORD

STEAL: RYAN GREEN (STOLEN BY WILL)

OLIVIA LAWSON VS CLARK CARMODY

Song: Britney Spears – Everytime

WINNER: CLARK CARMODY

STEAL: OLIVIA LAWSON (STOLEN BY RICKY)

MITCH MILLER VS MORVEN BROWN

Song: Madonna – Express Yourself

WINNER: MITCH MILLER

NO STEAL

TEAM RICKY

JADE HEWITT VS CHRISTINA MATOVU

SONG: ONE REPUBLIC – LOVES RUNS OUT

WINNER: CHRISTINA MATOVU

NO STEAL

HANNAH SYMONS VS SHELLYANN

Song: Stevie Nicks – Edge of Seventeen

WINNER: HANNAH SYMONS

STEAL: SHELLYANN (STOLEN BY RITA)

STEVIE MCCRORIE VS TIM ARNOLD

Song: Imagine Dragons – Demons

WINNER: STEVIE MCRORIE

NO STEAL

TEAM TOM

CLAUDIA ROSE VS ROSA IAMELE

SONG: BEYONCE – HALO

WINNER: ROSA IAMELE

STEAL: CLAUDIA ROSE (STOLEN BY RICKY)

STEPHANIE WEBBER VS HOWARD ROSE

Song: Hall & Oates – You Make My Dreams Come T rue

WINNER: HOWARD ROSE

NO STEAL

SHARON MURPHY VS ROISIN GERAGHTY-MCDONAGH

Song: George Ezra – Blame It On Me

WINNER: SHARON MURPHY

NO STEAL

The Voice continues on Saturdays on BBC1