Tom Jones reveals he is taking DNA test to determine if he has black ancestors after claims he is 'just passing as white'

The Welsh singer said his thick black hair was a source of much confusion

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Sir Tom Jones has announced he is going to have a DNA test to see if he has black ancestry, claiming he is often mistaken for being black due to the texture of his hair.

Speaking to the Times, Jones said some people thought he was “just passing as white” when he moved to America, even though he was born to Welsh and English parents.

“A lot of people still think I’m black. When I first came to America, people who had heard me sing on the radio would be surprised that I was white when they saw me. Because of my hair a lot of black people still tell me I’m just passing as white.”

He said that as a result, he made the decision to “get my DNA tested. I want to find out.”

Jones told the magazine his mother’s skin tone was a source of speculation because she tanned easily.

“My mother came out in big dark patches all over her body. They asked if she had any black blood and she said she didn’t know.”

Jones has made a string of controversial remarks in recent weeks.

Recently he was condemned for his comments about gay people when discussing his early days in the music industry. Jones said he contemplated moving back to Wales after realising how many gay men worked in in senior positions, and worried he’d have to sleep his way to the top.

The singer also caused controversy when he said he knew the late Jimmy Savile was fond of teenage girls, but his friend didn’t seem ‘creepy’ enough to be a paedophile.