Why did Blake Shelton leave The Voice? Who replaced him? Was he fired?

Welcome back Season 24 Voice, fans may be missing a familiar face from the last 23 seasons: Blake Shelton. Now that the country singer has officially retired his red swivel chair (and has been replaced by Reba McEntire), viewers can’t help but wonder: Why did Blake Shelton leave? Voice and could he return in season 25?

Shelton was one of the team’s first four coaches. Voicealong with Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera and CeeLo Green. Voice It premiered on NBC in 2011 as a reality singing competition in which four celebrity coaches form teams of contestants through blind auditions—where the coaches can hear the singers but not see them—and compete against each other until one winner remains. . Shelton was the last surviving coach. Green left in season 5; Aguilera left in season 10; and Levine left in season 16.

“I think I was close to calling it a day when COVID hit,” Shelton said of his decision to leave. Voice in an interview with Today in February 2023. “And then because of COVID, I didn’t want to leave the show and leave everyone in a bind. I mean, this show changed my life. I will stay here until the world returns to normal again.”

There’s a reason Shelton stayed. Voice so long. With nine wins, Shelton holds the record for most wins. Voice beats any trainer who took part in the show. Voice also helped Shelton in his personal life. In season seven, Shelton met his current wife, Gwen Stefani. They got engaged in 2020 and married in 2021. With so much good coming out of the series, viewers have to wonder: Why did Blake Shelton leave? Voice

and will he come back? Read on to find out what we know ahead.

Why did Blake Shelton leave? Voice?

Why did Blake Shelton leave? Voice? Shelton announced he was leaving Voice after 23 seasons in an October 2022 Instagram post. “I’ve been struggling with this for a while and have decided it’s time for me to leave The Voice after next season,” he wrote. “This show has changed my life for the better in every way and I will always feel at home here. and I will always feel at home here. It’s been one hell of a ride these 12 years of changing chairs and I want to thank everyone at NBC’s The Voice, every producer, writers, musicians, crew and support staff, you are the best. It takes a lot of work, enthusiasm and adult beverages (Ha!) to put on a live show twice a week.”

In an interview with People in December 2022, Shelton hinted that he had decided to leave Voice to focus on his family, which includes his wife Gwen Stefani and his three stepsons – Kingston, Apollo and Zuma – from Stefani’s marriage to ex-husband Gavin Rossdale. “Gwen and I traveled and toured and worked so much for the first half of our lives that now we’re like, ‘Hey, I’m ready to put on sweatpants at 6 p.m. and watch Ozark eight times,'” he said. “This is our life now and we love it.”

Shelton also said People on how becoming a stepfather changed his outlook on his career, including time spent Voice. “If I quit my career at this time, the only thing I would risk is regretting missing out on some of the more important things in life. At the moment these are our children. It’s not about me anymore and it never will be again,” he said. He continued: “Even though I am a stepfather, I take this job very seriously. Children see me as a very important person in their lives. When they ask, “Why isn’t Blake here?” I take this to heart. I made a lot of money, but you can’t make up the time. I don’t want any regrets.”

As for why he didn’t leave Voice early, Shelton said. People that he stayed with the series for over 10 years because of how much the series did for his career. “The thing that held me back for many years was that I had a hard time letting go of this thing. I’ve been here literally from the first minute,” he said. “When I started VoiceThis was 10 years ago in my country artist career. I never reached the level of country artists until I became a coach. The show gave me much more than what I brought at that time. I have far surpassed anything I thought I could ever achieve in the entertainment world.”

As for other reasons, he left VoiceShelton also said People that he wanted to leave his coaching position to pursue other career opportunities, such as his USA Network game show. Barmagedeonwhich he produces with Voice host Carson Daly. “For as long as I’ve been in television, I was just a guy who was told by the network or the producers, ‘Hey, come here, and then come here and be funny,'” he said. “I was never able to understand what was going on behind the scenes.” He continued: “I came from a media background, but I was never cut from that cloth, and Carson is so good at conveying that personality in the moment. He was the perfect guy for me to do this business with and learn from.”

As for what’s next, Shelton, who also created a clothing line with Lands’ End, revealed. People that he’s looking forward to just relaxing “I’ve had people say, ‘Dude, come on. You don’t leave “The Voice” to do nothing!” But I really am. Please, I accept ideas,” he said. “I have Barmageddon – we can do a whole season in a couple of weeks and that’s a real thrill for me – and my clothing line Lands’ End. It’s time to let go of some of that (work) stuff and let more family and personal life in.”

Is Blake Shelton coming back? Voice?

Is Blake Shelton coming back? Voice? The answer is no—at least not yet. However, this is possible in the future. In an interview with Entertainment tonight in December 2022, Shelton announced that he would return to Voice on one condition: to be a part-time mentor on his wife Gwen Stefani’s team. “Oh my goodness, I would be honored to mentor Gwen,” Shelton said. “Whatever she tells me, I will do.”

While Stephanie returned to Voice As a mentor on Season 24, Shelton confirmed that Season 22—the last season he won with rival Bryce Leatherwood—was the last time viewers ever saw him and Stephanie as full-time coaches. “I walked over to Gwen’s chair after the cameras turned off, and she was there literally sobbing,” Shelton said of the Season 22 finale. “She said, ‘This is the last time we’re going to do this together.’

He continued: “But this will be the last time she and I do this together, and it’s crazy to think about how much the show has changed my life. I was so engrossed in this that I didn’t even think about it, and now you’re trying to make me feel!”

Voice Season 24 airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8:00 pm on NBC.

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