"We're going to see a lot of Becky Hill's in a shorter time span."
Since joining the show back in 2012, Will.i.am has seen a number of coaches come and go - Jessie J, Danny O'Donoghue, Gavin Rossdale, Ricky Wilson, Kylie Minogue, Paloma Faith, Boy George, Rita Ora and now he has admitted that he was left "heartbroken" by Jennifer Hudson's decision to not return to The Voice UK.
"At first I was heartbroken that JHud (Jennifer Hudson) wasn't coming back but Meghan is awesome." he told I Talk Telly.
Continuing to sing her praises, Will.i.am who also sits alongside Sir Tom Jones and Olly Murs on the show, explained why Meghan joining the show might improve the longevity of those who don't go on to win, "(She) is awesome. She's a songwriter and for a long time I was the only songwriter on the show. She's a producer and for a long time I was the only producer on the show. She is a pathway."
"I think with Meghan on the show we're going to see a lot of Becky Hill's happening in a shorter time span. Because Meghan can collaborate without the need of a company funding you."
In 2014 Will.i.am featured on Home, the debut single from Leah McFall who finished runner-up in 2013 and was on his team but it's Becky Hill who is without doubt the show's biggest success story.
She's released the most music out of any contestant on The Voice UK and reached number one in the UK singles chart in 2014 with her Oliver Heldens collaboration Gecko (Overdrive) and had top 10 single in 2019 for her Sigma collaboration Wish You Well, which peaked at number 8.
She has also worked with a number of other high-profile DJs such as Jonas Blue, MK and Matoma and her success far outweighs that of any of the previous winners, whose average UK chart position is only 54, with series four winner Stevie McCrorie charting the highest at number 6 in 2015 with Lost Stars.
Will.i.am went on to tell I Talk Telly "(Becky Hill) is proof that sometimes things take time. Sometimes you got to go away with the L in your pocket - L meaning loss - and reflect on that, forget about the competition you had and reinvent yourself. Becky Hill is a prime example of that."
Will this year's series of The Voice UK deliver another chart-topper like Becky Hill and will Meghan manage to go all the way and win the competition? Only time will tell...
The Voice UK returns Saturday at 8.30pm on ITV