As new coaches join “The Voice,” Blake Shelton declares his exit

In season 23, “The Voice” will welcome some new contestants while bidding farewell to its longest-serving coach.

According to a statement, the upcoming season will mark Blake Shelton’s final appearance on the programme. Chance the Rapper and former member of One Direction Niall Horan will serve as new coaches.

In the new season, which will begin in the spring of 2019, Kelly Clarkson will complete the coaching staff.

“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,’” Shelton said in a statement via the network. “This show has changed my life in every way for the better and it will always feel like home to me.”

Shelton praised the “lifelong bonds” he has with host Carson Daly and “and every single one my fellow coaches over the years,” as well as his wife Gwen Stefani, whom he met on the programme.

Shelton has won eight times since the show’s start in 2011 and has been a mainstay. Additionally, he has taught 15 musicians whose songs have peaked at No. 1 on the iTunes Top Songs chart.

Meanwhile, Chance the Rapper expressed his excitement to be a part of the NBC competition series and said he is “thrilled”, “excited to help other artists get to the next level and make the most of this life-changing experience.”

Shelton is presently a judge on Season 22 of “The Voice,” alongside fellow judges Camila Cabello, John Legend, and Gwen Stefani.