Blake Shelton’s exit from ‘The Voice’ triggered Adam Levine’s return to singing reality show

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: NBC’s hit music reality show ‘The Voice’ returns with another new season on February 3. Fans have marked their calendars for the premiere episode of Season 27.

The upcoming season will witness Adam Levine - one of the show’s original coaches - reclaim his red throne after a hiatus of more than five years. 

The Marron 5 frontman - who initially graced the judges' table with Blake Shelton (who left the show in 2023), Christina Aguilera, and CeeLo Green when the show premiered in April 2011 - is making his comeback in Season 27 after leaving the show in 2019. 

While several fans still miss Levine and Shelton’s famed bromance on the music reality show, executive producer Audrey Morrissey shared it was Shelton, who though inadvertently, triggered the comeback of the ‘Payphone’ singer.

Adam Levine’s 'The Voice' comeback inadvertently tied with Blake Shelton

The upcoming season of ‘The Voice’ will see a fresh combination of experts as Adam Levine joins the talented group of John Legend, Michael Buble (last season’s winner), and Kelsea Ballerini (who is making her judging debut). 

Though Levine is not new to the judging duties, executive producer Morrissey shared it took her over two years to convince the ‘Memories’ hitmaker to return to the show. 

Describing the process at best a “good game of cat and mouse", Morrissey said that they were trying to get him on board for a long time, but things started moving only after a certain incident involving the ‘God’s Country’ singer. 

As per TV Insider, Morrissey revealed that Levine’s change in tune happened at the heels of Shelton receiving his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023. 

“I saw [Levine] there and I cornered him and asked, ‘When are you gonna come back?’” Morrissey shared, before adding, “I think that was the one that really started him thinking, ‘Maybe I will.’ It still took two years!”

Adam Levine opens up about his connection with Blake Shelton

As Adam Levine gets back on the sets of ‘The Voice’, fans are bound to miss the famed “bromance” between Blake Shelton and the ‘Sugar’ singer. 

However, it is not only the fans who would miss the camaraderie, as Levine himself opened up about it. 

During a conversation with Billboard, the musician shared with his fellow 'The Voice' judges, “It used to get so ugly. You guys don’t even know. We used to scream over each other."

“I have realized through this process, which has become therapy of some sort, that I was in such a chaotic environment. Me and Blake [Shelton] were slinging hate at each other. Everyone’s yelling and screaming. It was so different. I wouldn’t be able to stomach or handle that at this point. This is the perfect place, I’m in the right place. This is a safe space,” continued the star. 

Ballerini, who is making her full-time judging debut this season, joked, “He brings up Blake at least once a day", referencing their famed “bromance".