Will.i.am tries to sign Voice contestant

Will.i.am has been reprimanded by The Voice bosses after offering a contestant a record deal.

The Black Eyed Peas star angered producers on the show by telling Jay Norton - who was competing in a sing-off against Jaz Ellington during the Battle stage - he wanted to snap him up to his Will.i.am Music Group.

The comments will be cut from tomorrow's episode of the show as programme chiefs fear it makes a mockery of the contest.

A source told the Daily Mirror: "Bosses were furious that he said in front of the audience he'd give Jay a deal.

"The whole point of the show is to find a talent and give them a chance, not for the judges to profit from it by signing their own acts.

"But Will doesn't want to miss out on such a special talent."

The I Gotta Feeling hitmaker has been warned he cannot sign any acts while he is working on the show, but the 37-year-old star is said to have told pals he still wants to work with Jay when his contract with the show ends in June.

Jay isn't the first hopeful will has offered to sign to his record label.

After Shansel Huseyin, 17, failed to impress the panel during the blind auditions, Will.i.am later expressed his regret to her and said he wanted to work with her in the future.

Shansel recently said: "I'm so glad that I do have a second chance with Will. I was hurt when none of the coaches turned around, because I thought that was it.

"At the moment that means there's no contact between us. But backstage his agent approached my parents on his behalf and we've exchanged email addresses."

Meanwhile, it has been claimed that record label Universal - home of coaches Will.i.am, Jessie J and Sir Tom Jones - will sign not only the winner of the show but the other seven finalists.

A source told the Daily Mail: "We are partners with the BBC on this.

"That's our deal and all our focus will be on the eventual winner."