JENNIFER ‘I'm so much tougher now'

The newest female coach on The Voice is here to speak her mind and find some serious talent – oh, and she loves the UK so much she might even stay here…

- Lucy Devine

Sitting in front of us and looking every inch the A-lister, it’s easy to forget that Jennifer Hudson started her singing career as a runner-up on 2004’s American Idol. Yep, she didn’t even win. But did that stop her? Hell no. Being cast in the film

Dreamgirls alongside Beyoncé just two years later, Jen picked up an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, then released three best-selling albums. We’re still loving her James Corden Carpool Karaoke and now the 35-year-old is on Saturday night TV in the UK as a coach on The Voice – which is why we’re here today. In person, she’s as funny, enigmatic and yes, that word again, ‘fierce’, as we would have hoped. Watch out guys, Jen means business…

How much are you loving being on the show?

I’m really enjoying this experience, working with these guys and also being on the other side. You know, it’s still so fresh in my mind when I was a contestant trying to get there and I re-live that moment. It sends me right back into that space. But I feel empowered because I feel like I can help them get there.

Do you feel nervous filming the show?

I walked into it blindly, so I was discovering it as we went along and that’s still happening. I think it helped because it showed my real, honest reactions to everything.