Blake Shelton Announces He's Leaving The Voice Next Season

The Voice’s Blake Shelton announced his plans to leave the NBC singing competition next season after 12 years on the show.

By Daniel Trainor Oct 11, 2022 11:50 PMTags
Watch: Blake Shelton Leaving The Voice After 23 Seasons

Blake Shelton is hanging up his hat.

On Oct. 11, The Voice coach announced his plans to leave the singing competition after its next season in spring 2023. 

In a post on Instagram, Shelton—the only star to appear on every season of the show since it began in 2011—revealed he had been "wrestling with this for a while," but ultimately made the decision to vacate his chair.

"This show has changed my life in every way for the better and it always feel like home to me," Shelton wrote. "It's been a hell of a ride over these 12 years of chair turns and I want to thank everyone at The Voice from NBC, every producer, the writers, musicians, crew and catering people, you are the best. It takes a lot of work, passion, and adult beverages (Ha!) to pull off a live show twice a week."

Of course, The Voice has been more than a just a professional gig for Shelton—it's changed the course of his life, as well.

"I've made lifelong bonds with Carson [Daly] and every single one of my fellow coaches over the years," he wrote, "including my wife Gwen Stefani!" (ICYMI, the couple, who wed in July 2021, met when she first joined the show in 2014.)

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"I have to give a huge shoutout to the singers—the ‘voices,'" Shelton continued, "who come on this stage season after season and amaze us with their talent and a special thanks to those who chose me to be their coach."

He saved his final words for viewers of The Voice, who will still get to soak up another full season with Shelton before saying their goodbyes.

"It's about y'all, the fans, who watch and support these artists, us coaches and everyone at The Voice who are chasing their dreams," he wrote. "It would not happen without you!"

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Shelton's final season will welcome Chance the Rapper and Niall Horan as coaches for the first time. Shelton and the newbies will be joined by Kelly Clarkson, who will enter her ninth season a as a full-time coach since first appearing during season 18 in 2014.

Of course, Shelton could always return to his iconic Voice chair, as coaches like Alicia Keys, Nick Jonas and Christina Aguilera have done over the years.

The current season of The Voice features Shelton and Stefani alongside coaches John Legend and Camila Cabello. New episodes air Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on NBC.

(NBC and E! are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)

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