Legendary singer Tom Jones wants to make it clear he did not quit the UK version of The Voice.  “ITV made this decision – obviously a while ago, and I was told just recently.  The reason given is because of a financial difficulty with insurance.  They now say in the press they wanted to ‘refresh’ the show, and with a new coaching line-up there wouldn’t be a chair for me.  They are offering a much-reduced role where I would make an appearance but without being actually involved from the start, and I’m not thrilled about that.  So the only thing I know right now is that there’s never a good time to fire an 86-year-old who’s still pretty good at his job.”  Why, oh why, ITV!

Speaking of London, we previously told you that Cole Escola returned to the title role in Oh, Mary! in the West End production.  One of those performances was filmed for future broadcast, and it’s just been announced that it will turn up on HBO.  Cole shot a cheeky promo video in his Mary Todd Lincoln regalia bursting into HBO’s offices and being directed down the hall from the queen of the network, Sarah Jessica Parker.  She asks “Mary” if she’d like some water, which was presented on a platter by Cynthia Nixon.  “Mary” declined.  I guess Kristin Davis has joined Kim Cattrall and Chris Noth on the “out” list.  You can see the clip on BillyMasters.com.

Our pal Sherri Shepherd might have lost her day job, but she’s bounced back with a nightly gig, courtesy of her old pals at Disney.  She’ll make some history by being the first female to play the role of the genie in the Broadway production of Aladdin.  She joins the cast on October 16^th and will stay through the end of the year.  By the by, this is not Sherri’s first foray into musicals.  Back in 2014, she joined Keke Palmer in the Broadway production of Cinderella as the first Black actress to play the role of Cinderella’s stepmom.  Congrats!!

Sherri will have some interesting company on the Great White Way.  Julia Roberts is returning to Broadway.  Now, I know someone out there is thinking, “Billy, you’re thinking of Eric Roberts.”  While I am often thinking of Eric Roberts, Julia did in fact appear on Broadway way back in 2006 for two months.  I’m not sure why – perhaps there was a writers’ strike, or maybe she needed to let an unfortunate haircut grow out.  She was in Richard Greenberg’s Three Days of Rain and she played two roles – so, really, it’s like she was there for four months!  Her costars were Paul Rudd and Bradley Cooper, and the director was Joe Mantello.  Julia’s returning to Broadway in the play Small Mouth Sounds, where she will again be directed by Mantello and co-star with Paul Rudd!  Joining them will be Sarah Paulson, Martin Freeman, Greta Lee and Isaac Powell.  Shows begin on February 18^th and end on June 17^th.  BTW, the Tony Awards are on June 13^th.  Coincidence?

The multitalented Jinkx Monsoon has had an extraordinary past few years.  In 2023, she was the first drag queen to play Mama Morton in Chicago on Broadway.  The following year, she appeared off-Broadway in Little Shop of Horrors.  In 2025, she made her Carnegie Hall debut and then took over the lead in the Broadway production of Oh, Mary!.  Earlier this year, she played Judy Garland in Beyond the Rainbow in London.  And currently she’s back in the West End once again as Mary Todd Lincoln.  Is there nothing she can’t do?  Well, she has a few dream roles, and she’s putting them out in the universe.  “I really want to play Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd someday, but I’m willing to wait until it’s the time.”  She also has her eyes on the title role in Mame.  “I know it will eventually happen, and I hope that when the stars align, I’m right there to play her.  But I want to be the next Mame on Broadway, however that takes place…The show is about chosen family, and I think we as a society as a western civilization have started to realize the value in chosen family, whether you’re queer or not.”