Hartlepool singer Rick Snowdon is through to next round of The Voice

The 29-year-old's whispery and seductive version of Nina Simone's I Put A Spell On You led three coaches on the BBC1 show to turn their seats around.

Boy George, Paloma Faith and Ricky Wilson all hit the red button in the hope Rick would choose them to lead him on the next part of his journey into the music business.

Rick, who lives in the Foggy Furze area, was one of 120,000 hopefuls to apply for this series of the hit talent show.

He already he has singing sensation Paloma Faith wanting to duet with him, while will.i.am described his voice as "amazing”.

The rapper, who has hits as both a solo artist and as part of The Black Eyed Peas, told Rick: "The only reason I didn't turn around is because I think you can improve my team by being on someone else's team.

“It'll be like going into a duel against Sir Lancelot."

Boy George said he had an amazing voice and Ricky Wilson gave him a 10.

But it was Paloma Faith who the singer chose to lead him onto the next phase after she described him as "very special" and announced "I would love to do a duet with you".

She said the years he spent locked in his bedroom, due to his lack of confidence over his weight, where he discovered music, was "well worth it", and described his voice as "phenomenal”.

Rick fought with a food addiction for years and was eating £25 worth of sweets and pastries every day.

He learned to play guitar while he locked himself away in his home for more than four years listening to his father’s Led Zeppelin, Queen and David Bowie records.

However, a rigorous regime of exercise and diet helped him lose more than half his body weight - and crash down from his 56in waist.

On tonight's show he said he hoped to "inspire people to go and chase their dreams."