Is Blake Shelton Really Leaving 'The Voice'? Here's What the Country Star Has Said

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Update, October 12, 2022, 11:55 a.m. ET:

Season 22 of The Voice may have just kicked off this fall but longtime coach Blake Shelton is already saying goodbye to the NBC competition show.

On October 11, following the first round of the Battles, the country singer announced on Instagram that he is leaving The Voice. In a statement posted to his social media accounts, Blake shared that he will be stepping away from the series after the upcoming season 23 airs next year.

“I’ve been wrestling with this for a while and I’ve decided that it’s time for me to step away from The Voice after Season 23,” he wrote. “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 of chair turns."

"I want to thank everyone at The Voice from NBC, every producer, the writers, musicians, crew and catering people, you are the best," he added. "It takes a lot of work, passion, and adult beverages (Ha!) to pull off a live show twice a week.”

Blake continued: “I’ve made lifelong bonds with Carson [Daly] and every single one my fellow coaches over the years, including my wife, Gwen Stefani! 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.”

“Lastly, it’s about y’all, the fans, who watch and support these artists, us coaches and everyone at The Voice chasing their dreams. It wouldn’t happen without you!” he concluded.

The news comes after Kelly Clarkson didn’t return to The Voice after her historic season 21 win. That said, the American Idol alum will be coming back to the show for season 23 where she will join Blake and new coaches. Chance the Rapper and Niall Horan will be part of The Voice 2023 roster that will bid farewell to the longtime cast member.

Reacting to the news, Blake’s wife, fellow Voice coach Gwen Stefani, shared a heartfelt message in his Instagram comments section: “I am so proud of you and so blessed to have found [you]. Your talent brings joy to the hearts of so many people and I am so lucky to be part of [your] life’s journey ❤️,” she wrote.

Original, December 29, 2021, 12 p.m. ET:

Now that The Voice has wrapped up season 21, it's time for the coaches to take a moment to enjoy the holiday season and focus on their other exciting projects. But while we wait to see if NBC renews the singing show for another installment, we'll be wondering about the future of one coach in particular, the one and only Blake Shelton.

To be clear, the "Came Back as a Country Boy" singer hasn't declared his intention to leave The Voice, which he's been on since the premiere season in 2011. That said, earlier this year, Blake did drop hints to Today's Hoda Kotb that he might soon be looking to enjoy a less hectic schedule and embrace a "simpler life" with his wife, Gwen Stefani.

"I hope that’s not too far down the road," Blake said. "Ten years sounds like way too long to me. I’d like to see that sooner than later."

He also explained: "I mean, we've [Gwen and I have] both pretty much taken it to the limit as far as our careers go and touring and now the television thing. It’s been fortunate to accomplish a lot of things. But, hopefully, at some point, we get a chance to live some life."

On top of that, rumors swirled this fall that The Voice producers were looking to "replace" Blake on the show "with someone younger and more current" after hiring Ariana Grande for season 21. Of course, Blake basically denied this was true when he jokingly texted Ariana a link to an article covering the rumor and wrote, "Thanks a lot Ari… Thanks a f--n’ lot.." Ariana then posted the text from Blake in the below Instagram post (see the last slide).

So, is Blake really considering walking away from the show after 10 years, or is it all just a bunch of hearsay? It's hard to tell at this point. In 2017, while chatting on the radio station WKRO 93.1 FM, he said that he had planned on doing the show "at least a year," but noted that "anything can change."

At the time, he also said that he wanted to stick around for Kelly Clarkson joining the coaching panel. "I’d like to at least go far enough to do that season coming up with Kelly Clarkson as a judge. I think that’s gonna be a lot of fun to have her in there."

Of course, four years later, he ended up staying much more than just a year. While it'll definitely be a sad day if Blake decides to walk away from the show, we'll forever have many memories of his hilarious antics, particularly the frequent banter sessions involving former Voice star Adam Levine. Until that day comes though, we're going to keep cheering on The Voice coach.

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