One last spin! Blake Shelton shocked fans of The Voice — and his fellow coaches — after announcing that season 23 would be his last.
The “God’s Country” crooner revealed in October 2022 that he would be stepping away from the NBC singing competition, which he has appeared on since its 2011 premiere. “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 said in a statement at the time. “This show has changed my life in every way for the better and it will always feel like home to me.”
Shelton continued: “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. … 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!”
The Oklahoma native was one of the original four coaches on the show, along with Adam Levine, CeeLo Green and Christina Aguilera. His final season, which kicked off in March 2023, features Niall Horan, Kelly Clarkson and Chance the Rapper.
Throughout his tenure on The Voice, Shelton has secured eight total victories, including season 3’s Cassadee Pope and season 4’s Danielle Bradbery. As he prepares for his last competition, the “Austin” artist is ready for another win — but he’s also looking forward to having a break.
“When I came on as a coach on this show, I mean, everything in my life was turned upside down,” Shelton told Today in February 2023. “And in a good way, you know? This has been incredible, but it’s time, you know. It’s time for not even what’s next. A little bit of nothing would be nice.”
He described how much The Voice has “changed my life,” pointing out that he met his wife, Gwen Stefani, during his time on the show. (The couple began dating in 2015 and tied the knot six years later.)
The decision to leave his coaching chair wasn’t an easy one. “He was in two minds for a while because the show has given him so much — and certainly way more than just a financial perspective,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly in October 2022, noting that Shelton “really agonized” over his exit.
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According to the insider, the series “helped [Blake] see the good side about living and working in Hollywood after so many years [of being] based in the south,” but he “knew it was time to leave the show and needed to move on.”
Scroll down to see how Voice coaches past and present have reacted to Shelton’s final season:
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