A source told The Sun that the star’s comment sent the audience “absolutely wild”, forcing the producers to hit the ‘panic button’ and halt the production in a desperate bid to restore calm.

Good luck with that!

Copyright [Startraks Photo/REX Shutterstock]

What other secrets could he be keeping under his oversized hat?

Sitting on his red throne alongside Will.i.am, Kaiser Chief’s frontman Ricky Wilson and singer Paloma Faith, a discussion ignited between the foursome about who they had collaborated with.

The 54-year old boasted: “I have duetted with some of the greatest soul singers in history including Luther Vandross and Smokey Robinson.”

In true competitive style of pitching to the singer on stage, Paloma reportedly replied: “Well OK, if we’re throwing big soul names out there I’ve performed with Prince.”

The Stone Cold Sober singer surely had it in the bag… that was until London born singer/songwriter Boy George quipped: “Forget that, darling, I’ve slept with Prince.” Gulp.

This single comment sent shockwaves around the studio, a source claimed: “We just couldn’t believe what he had come out with – and the guys in the gallery were beside themselves.”

Copyright [Ronin 47/Splash News]

Maybe he should have kept that one under wraps…

Meanwhile, other judges, especially Will.i.am, thought it was a brilliant comeback and kept high-fiving him.

The source added: “Production staff had to come up on stage and speak to them.”

“After that, Boy George started backtracking saying he hadn’t really slept with Prince and that in reality, he just had his poster on his wall.”

It might have been dismissed as ‘banter’ but as far as the crowd were concerned the cat was well and truly out of the bag.

The Culture Club singer has replaced Tom Jones, who was controversially axed from the show, and if this incident is anything to go by, we’re going to need to stock up on our popcorn for the fifth series of The Voice in January.