Adam Levine will not be returning to his red chair after 16 seasons on the reality singing competition, The Voice. The Maroon 5 front man has served as a part of the coaching panel since the show’s inception in 2011. The news was announced by The Voice host, Carson Daly, via NBC News Today, and comes as a surprise to viewers after NBC’s recent announcement that all four judges would return for the series 17 season outing this fall.
Daly further commented that the series’ fans may miss the “frenemy relationship that Levine has built up over the years with fellow coach Blake Shelton.” Levine coached a total of three contestants that went on to win, during his lengthy tenure; he will be replaced in the upcoming season by songstress Gwen Stefani.
Through Instagram, Levine also announced the news of his departure in a lengthy post, writing:
Stefani previously coached as a guest judge on the show in 2014 and 2015. The No Doubt frontwoman is also dating other judge, country singer Blake Shelton. The two also met during her guest appearances on the show, despite Shelton being apart of the U.S. edition since April 2011. Numerous other guest judges and coaches have come and gone during both Levine and Shelton’s reigns, with other episodes featuring the likes of John Legend and Kelly Clarkson.