Sir Tom Jones admits he was sexually abused at start of his career: 'Justice will out'

Sir Tom, 77 – who is a coach on The Voice UK – has insisted that harassment is not something that just happens in the movie industry, with him saying that his former encounter made him feel “terrible”.

He told the BBC: ”Things have always happened in the music industry as well. There’s been people complaining about publicists and different things they’ve been expected to do to get a record contract, just like a film contract.”

When asked on Radio 5 live’s Afternoon Edition whether it was something he’d experienced in the past, Sir Tom replied: “Yes. At the beginning, yes. There were a few things like that. But you avoid it. You just walk out…but what’s tried on women is tried on men as well.”

Despite admitting he felt “terrible” at the time, Sir Tom said that he’s since tried to move on as best possible.

He explained: ”But then you think, ‘Well, I’ve got to get away from this person and it can’t be like this.’

“You should know that yourself, you don’t do things just because you think, ‘I should do this.’ Your own mind will tell you that. Not just in showbusiness, but in any thing you’re in.”

He added: “There’s always been that element there that people with power sometimes abuse it, but they don’t all abuse it, there are good people.”

Speaking further about what he went through, Sir Tom added: ”It wasn’t bad, just somebody tried to pull…it was a question and I said ‘No thank you.'”

He continued: “Things happen in showbusiness, and sometimes things are covered up and then they come to light and other people come forward – it’s like taking the cork off of a bottle.

“Things come out that maybe should’ve come out years ago, who knows. But that’s the way it is with showbusiness, you are in the public eye, and that’s it, you have to take the good with the bad.

“But justice will out. If you’ve done something wrong you’ve got to pay for it, or prove that you haven’t done anything wrong.”

Sir Tom’s comments come as he prepares to return to The Voice UK at the start of next year, with him heading back to the panel alongside Jennifer Hudson, will.i.am and Olly Murs.

The Voice UK airs on ITV early in 2018.