A GORLESTON mum showed the nation - and a panel of top judges - that she had the voice when she performed on a talent show last weekend.

Toni Warne secured singing sensation Jessie J as her coach on the new BBC1 talent show, The Voice, which was broadcast on Saturday night. The show sees singers undergo blind auditions where the coaches cannot see them so they are only judged on their voice.

The panel of coaches is made up of The Script frontman Danny O’Donoghue, Back Eyed peas founder will.I.am, chart topping singer/songwriter Jessie J and music legend Sir Tom Jones.

Miss Warne of Jenner Road, wowed judges with her performance of Will Young’s hit single, Leave Right Now, prompting three out of the four to turn around and offer to work with her.

“It was edited because after I stopped singing, the first thing I said was that I had been brought up with Tom Jones’ music,” Miss Warne said. “I love him and he is the voice for me. He is right at the top of my list as far as greats are concerned. All the way through I thought I would pick Tom Jones as my coach.”

But while she was singing on stage, something in the back of her mind was urging her to choose Jessie J.

“I watched some clips of her online performing in her bedroom before she got huge. It was her who made me think what is going on. Singing is what I should be doing. When I walked on stage I knew it had to be her.”

She watched the show at home with her mum, Helen, sister, Victoria and stepdaughter, Hannah, 19.

“My partner, Jason, was gigging and both my children were in bed because they’re young and it’s too late for them.

“I didn’t know when I was on. Every time a new act came on I thought ‘is it going to be me?’

“I thought the show was great. I was chuffed with my performance and I am extremely self critical. We were all crying at home, it was so emotional.

“So many people have got in touch to offer their support.”

Miss Warne said that she enjoyed performing the song although it was chosen for her.

“I like Will Young’s music, he has got a unique style. I have been singing for quite some time and learning new songs is all part of it. As I started to get familiar with the tone it felt good. I was able to put my own stamp on it. I wanted to make it slower and give it more of a soul edge.

The mother-of-two said the support she had received since being on the show had been “wonderful”.

Miss Warne, who works as a customer service advisor, has been singing since she was a child and performing since she was 18. She has had alopecia since she was seven-years-old and hopes to use the platform to inspire others with the condition

“Everyone has been so supportive about everything. I couldn’t ask for more. Everyone has been so positive about The Voice - about how I looked and sounded which is great. It was a huge boost to myself and hopefully to other people who have got alopecia.”

The 34-year-old, who has two children, Thomas, three, and Lily, 18 months, said she had been inundated with emails from colleagues since the show.

She added: “People have been into the bank where I work and they have noticed me. There have been some lovely comments, it’s really nice. Work have been really good about me being on the show. Everyone is behind me.”

The singer has also seen a massive surge in the number of people wishing to book her for weddings, parties and private functions.

There are three weeks of blind auditions left before the next round begins.

“Everything is so surreal at the moment. I am in a little bubble.

“I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone and tell them to keep supporting me. It is one amazing ride and I don’t want to get off. I am just taking things day by day. I’m so excited for the future.”