Daily Times

Singer and songwriter Adam Levine is not returning as a coach for the next season of NBC’s ‘The Voice’. The Maroon 5 singer revealed the news on Friday, bidding farewell with a lengthy, heartfelt Instagram post. “We had no idea what we were doing or where it was going,” he wrote. “It went on to be a life shaping experience that will be close to my heart forever.”

Adam Levine and his friendly nemesis Blake Shelton anchored the show as coaches since its launch in 2011, a first season that also featured Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green. Two of the coaching seats have regularly rotated out to include Alicia Keys, John Legend, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson and Shakira, among others, but the brotherly friendship and competition between Levine and Shelton has been a central feature of the show throughout its run.

“It hasn’t set in yet,” Blake Shelton Tweeted. “Gonna miss working with that idiot.”

The show just ended its 16th season on Tuesday, with soulful singer Maelyn Jarmon giving coach John Legend a victory in his rookie season. Levine departs The Voice having coached three champions, the most recent of which was Jordan Smith in Season 9. For the 17th season, Levine’s seat will be filled by pop star Gwen Stefani – a coach on seasons 7, 9 and 12 as well as Shelton’s girlfriend – along with Shelton, Legend and Clarkson.

Levine will have plenty to keep him occupied in the meantime. Maroon 5, which headlined Super Bowl LIII in February, will be on tour in Europe through August. Levine has also signed on as Executive Producer of NBC’s upcoming reality competition Songland, which premieres May 28.