Season 26 of The Voice is already taking form. The show already announced that Michael Bublé and Snoop Dogg will be the new judges, joining Reba McEntire and Gwen Stefani. And, the announcement has left fans wondering: why won’t John Legend return?
EGOT winner Legend has been a recurring presence in the reality show, since he became a coach in Season 16, which he also won with Maelyn Jarmon. He didn’t leave his position as coach until the twenty-second season.
However, he returned again from Season 24 to Season 25, which will be coming to an end soon. After Blake Shelton left the reality show, there have also been rumors that Legend could leave The Voice for sure. But it seems like that’s not the case. Here’s the real reason he’s leaving for Season 26.
The Voice: Why is John Legend not coming back for Season 26?
It seems like the reason behind John Legend’s absence in The Voice Season 26 is that the singer will be touring this summer, when the show is usually being filmed. Legend has several shows set between May 31 and September 10, 2024 across the country.
However, the latest comments from the singer indicate that this might be only a break, and not a definitive goodbye. Apart from The Voice and his music, Legend has been focusing on his family, which consists of wife Chrissy Teigen and his four children, as well as his unisex skin care line, Loved01.
Legend has expressed his love for the show on several occasions. In March 2024, Legend told ET that he “loves” coaching on the show, and “working with our artists, just seeing people’s dreams come true through this show, giving them all the advice I’ve gotten over the years, helping them learn from all the experiences that I’ve had over the years. It’s a lot of fun for me.”
When he left after Season 22, he explained that he wanted to spend some time with his family, especially as his family has been growing. “My family’s growing, I have a new album out, I’m gonna do a little bit of touring, and so it’s probably better that I take a break,” he told Entertainment Tonight at the time. ” … But I’ll be back on The Voice, just not this coming season,” he promised. Fans hope it is the same this time.