Season 26 of The Voice is off to a fiery start, as the stellar line-up of coaches competes tooth and nail to secure the best vocalists in the Blind Auditions. Series heavyweight and alternative pop-rock legend Gwen Stefani is joined by last season’s winner and country music superstar, Reba McIntyre, as they fend off the popular new additions, crooner Michael Bublé and industry icon Snoop Dog. The Voice guarantees that vocal talent will always be prioritized each season, and so variety in the series often comes from the introduction of new coaches, who have different approaches to pitching and providing counsel to the talented artists each season.
With the rotating door of coaches each season, fans of the franchise are often disappointed to see a beloved character depart the series. Kelly Clarkson endeared herself to fans with her charming, fun-aunt-energy, plus her wholesome rivalry with The Voice OG coach Blake Shelton. Shelton was a judge for 12 years starting in 2011, before a tearful retirement in Season 23. Though the door is always open for a return in the future. Stefani herself is proof that judges are often welcome back, even after spending years away from the series. Last season saw McIntyre competing against series newcomers Dan+Shay and returning coaches Chance the Rapper and John Legend. Chance was a thoughtful and invested coach, and the series was lucky that he could lend his talents for the season. Legend has been a staple on the series for a total of nine seasons, so fans have naturally been wondering what the reason might be for his decision not to return in Season 26.
Why Didn’t John Legend Return to Season 26 of ‘The Voice’?
In May 2024, Legend told Entertainment Tonight what he had planned for the summer of 2024, including lots of performing and traveling overseas, which would impact his ability to coach this season. He reflected with his typical composed charm, “I’ll be back… if only I were going to take an actual break!” It makes sense that someone with Legend’s musical talent would be eager to get back to performing. As someone with a young family, it seems clear Legend also wanted to take time to create some memorable moments, including inviting his young kids onto The Voice set to see where their father was spending time putting his coaching skills to work. But though Legend won’t be coaching in Season 26 of The Voice, that isn’t to say the series was far from his mind.
During his interview with ET, Legend expressed his excitement at seeing new coaches coming onto The Voice once again. He predicted that having Snoop Dog, who has appeared on the show as a mentor in the past, now joining as a coach would “reinvigorate” the series. Even after just one episode, Snoop has already proved the prediction correct, with his pitches proving almost irresistible to the competitors. Legend also observed that rotating new coaches in to join the more experienced team is “how we continue to stay fresh.” When it came to his reflection on the finale for Season 25, Legend put the focus on the talent, saying, “I’m just rooting for the artists to be their best selves, honestly.”
When Will Viewers See Legend Again?
Even though Legend will not be returning for Season 26, viewers won’t have to wait long to see him back on The Voice. The soulful crooner has already confirmed he will be back in his coaches’ chair for Season 27, which has already begun filming and will air sometime in spring 2025. Joining Legend will be returning coach and vocalist for Maroon 5, Adam Levine. Levine has a remarkable 16 seasons of experience coaching on the series. Bublé is also confirmed to return for his second season, and joining these experienced coaches is first timer, Kelsea Ballerini. Carson Daly will also return as host. Since the season just picked up filming the Blind Auditions, and Season 26 just began airing, there will probably be some time before we start to see promotional materials for the next season. However, one of the coaches couldn’t resist sharing a behind-the-scenes glimpse of Season 27 already.
Catch Season 26 of The Voice Mondays on NBC. Past seasons can be streamed on Peacock.
Watch on Peacock