Engelbert Humperdinck has said he still does not know what caused his long-running estrangement from fellow singer Tom Jones, despite their once-close friendship. He praised Jones as one of the world’s best singers and said he would welcome a reconciliation, stressing that he holds no animosity towards him.

Humperdinck said the relationship appeared to break down after the death of their shared manager, Gordon Mills, in 1986, although he could not identify a clear reason and rejected rumours involving a woman. The pair were roommates in London early in their careers, but Jones said in 2024 that Humperdinck had tried to reconnect and that he did not want to talk.