In a heartfelt Instagram post on Tuesday, Blake Shelton announced that Season 23 of The Voice will be his last with the program. It’s a day we knew would come at some point, but one we’re not ready to accept yet – the show won’t be the same without the witty country singer.
Shelton first joined the show in its inaugural season with Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera, and Cee Lo Green. While Levine lasted 16 seasons, Shelton is the only one to stick with the show all these years – 12 to be exact. “It’s been a hell of a ride,” said Shelton on Instagram.
During his tenure with the program, Shelton coached a winner eight times – the most of any coach in the show’s history. He was hot out of the gate, winning three of the first four seasons, and last accomplished it in Season 20 last year. He always got the most out of his contestants.
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In the Instagram post, which has already received more than 255,000 likes, Blake Shelton gave shoutouts to the entire crew – top to bottom. He shouted out the producers, NBC, writers, catering people, other coaches, contestants, and perhaps most importantly, the many fans.
“I’ve been wrestling this for a while and I’ve decided that it’s time for me to step away from The Voice after next season,” he started the post. “This show has changed my life in every way for the better and it will always feel like home to me. It’s been a hell of a ride over these 12 years.”
“I have to give a huge shoutout to the singers – the ‘Voices,’ 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 added, before declaring none of this would be possible without the fans.
Perhaps an even more special thanks is in order for the eight ‘Voices’ that he coached to a win – Cam Anthony, Todd Tilghman, Chloe Kohanski, Sundance Head, Craig Wayne Boyd, Danielle Bradberry, Cassadee Pope, and Jermaine Paul. We will never forget those seasons!
What Else is Blake Shelton Up to These Days?
For those that aren’t ready to see Blake Shelton leave The Voice, don’t panic – he’s not gone just yet. Season 22 is currently being aired on Mondays and Tuesdays on NBC at 8:00pm ET. He’s coaching alongside his wife, Gwen Stefani, John Legend, and Camila Cabello.
Even when this season comes to an end, we’ll still have one more final season with Shelton before he says his final goodbye. While we’re still waiting for a premiere date, NBC has confirmed that Chance the Rapper, Niall Horan, and Kelly Clarkson will be the other coaches.
Last year, Shelton released his 12th studio album, Body Language. It was the country singer’s first album in four years, marking a return to music we didn’t know we needed at the time. Last month, he announced an 18-date Back to the Honky Tonk Tour, currently scheduled for 2023.
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The opening acts for the tour will be CarlyPearce and JacksonDean. The tour kicks off on February 16th and will run through March 25th. He’ll touchdown in Sioux Falls, Knoxville, Birmingham, Jacksonville, Tampa, Orlando, Louisville, Kansas City, Buffalo, and much more.
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