After 16 seasons in the spinning red chair, Adam Levine is saying goodbye.
The Maroon 5 frontman will not be returning to The Voice this fall for Season 17, host Carson Daly announced on NBC’s The Today Show Friday morning.
Levine will be replaced by Gwen Stefani, who returns to the show after being a coach on the seventh, ninth, and 12th seasons while serving as a mentor on Season eight and 10.
Meanwhile Levine released a long statement on Instagram, saying it was “time to move on” but left the door open to return in the future, saying “I’m sure I’ll be back to say hi very, very soon.”
Coaches Kelly Clarkson and Blake Shelton tweeted about how they were surprised at the news, while producers released a statement saying Levine is always welcome to return.
The news of Levine’s departure should not come as too much of a shock. In Season 15, he campaigned to save Reagan Strange from elimination, throwing one of his own artists under the bus. Reagan was saved the Voice Save, which enraged viewers.
When Season 16 rolled around, fans let Adam know they did not forget. Levine lost his entire team by the end of first round of live shows and sat through the rest of the competition. At the NBC Upfronts, he looked disinterested and like he did not want to be there according to some videos swirling online.
Are you happy or sad about the news that Adam is leaving? Let me know in the comments below!
The Voice returns to NBC this fall for Season 17.