"The whole drama of the show coming to a halt didn't happen at all," a spokesperson says
Boy George appeared to drop a bombshell during a taping of The Voice U.K., claiming he has slept with Prince, but a spokesperson for the show tells PEOPLE it “was a joke.”
Reports have claimed that George, 54, made the statement about Prince, 57, in front of a live audience as cameras were rolling. The musician’s fellow judges – Will.i.am, Ricky Wilson and Paloma Faith – were discussing the impressive performers they’ve worked with over the years when Faith mentioned collaborating with Prince. Then the Culture Club singer took it a step further.
“He just went, ‘Oh darling, I’ve slept with him,'” the spokesperson tells PEOPLE. “He went on to say that he had Prince posters on his wall as a kid. He was never being serious.”
The reps insists the “whole drama of the show coming to a halt didn’t happen at all.”
Viewers can expect to see the clip in an upcoming audition episode after the program returns in the U.K. on Jan. 9., the spokesperson says.
A rep for Prince did not respond to a request for comment.
• Reporting by MONIQUE JESSEN