A recent instalment of The Today Show saw host Sheinelle Jones, Dylan Dreyer and Craig Melvin discuss all of the hot topics of the week. During one segment, singer-songwriter John Legend made an appearance on the show, but a conversation surrounding The Voice resulted in Melvin throwing shade at The Voice coach Blake Shelton.
During Tuesday’s episode of the morning chat show, Today host Melvin blasted The Voice star Shelton’s retirement from the show as a “gimmick.”
The episode saw Jones, Dreyer and Melvin, sit down with former The Voice coach John Legend.
After hosts discussed Legend’s experience at the 2023 Oscars party, Jones changed the conversation to the hit singing reality competition.
The journalist began to explain that though she knew that the EGOT winner was taking a “break” from this season of The Voice, she wanted to discuss his former co-star Shelton with him.
Since it’s the “last season” that Shelton will be a coach on The Voice, chat quickly focussed on his departure from the singing competition at the end of this season.
Legend began: “We really loved doing the show; it’s been such a family experience for us, especially with Blake.
“Blake’s been there since the very beginning; he’s been the heart and soul of The Voice for so long”
The singer added: “We’re all gonna miss the fact that he’s not gonna be on the show; it’s pretty crazy, I can’t imagine The Voice without him. He says, ‘this is gonna be his last season,’ so we wish him the best.”
But before Legend could wrap up his statement, Melvin shared his opinion on Shelton’s decision to leave The Voice.
“I think the whole thing might be a gimmick,” Craig exclaimed while his co-hosts sat next to him in shock.
Co-host Jones asked him what he “meant”, to which Melvin explained that he believed Blake was “gonna pull a Tom Brady.”
However, Legend didn’t dismiss the possibility that Shelton might “come back for one more year” he did emphasise how much he’d be missed on the show
The country star recently announced that he would be stepping down from his coach role on The Voice, once the season concludes later this year.
Shelton confirmed the news he would be leaving the singing competition in October last year via an Instagram post.
The musician wrote: “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 after next season.
“It’s been a hell of a ride over these 12 years of chair turns and I want to thank everyone at The Voice from NBC, every producer, the writers, musicians, crew, and catering people, you are the best.”
Shelton has set the record with the most wins out of any coach in history, meaning this season the singer has the chance to go out with a bang, potentially taking home his 10th victory.
