Emma Willis in tears on The Voice

Emma Willis has confessed she forgot to pack her tissues when presenting blind auditions of The Voice – as she was moved to tears during the early stage of the singing show.

The 37-year-old host – who has taken over presenting duties from Holly Willoughby – said she was overcome by the level of talent on the show.

‘There was one day where I just cried for a long time. One act after the other after the other. And Marv would be like “Are you ok, babe?” and I would wail “No!” It was so emotional,’ she recalled, adding: ‘I think that you don’t expect to get that involved, but you do… and you get swept along with them.’

Meanwhile, co-presenter and former JLS singer Marvin Humes, 28, explained his own experience as a contestant on The X Factor helped him navigate the auditions without crumbling.

‘Obviously I’ve been through a similar experience and I can lend that experience to the artist that is auditioning,’ he said of the show, which is preparing to launch its third series.

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Tuesday 3 January 2014]