‘The Voice’ Season 29's unexpected twist has fans asking one big question: ‘Why only three...’
Looks like 'The Voice' makers are ready to take chances after being snubbed at the 2025 Emmys. As the singing reality show gears up for the release of its Season 28 in the fall of 2025, the production for Season 29 is already in the pipeline. Leaving no stone unturned to grab fans' attention, the makers made a surprising announcement for Season 29, revealing the coaching lineup and an unexpected change in their format, which has fans questioning whether it will truly translate into success.
In a Tuesday, July 22 Instagram post, 'The Voice' shocked fans with a major twist for Season 29. The season, titled 'Battle of the Champions,' will debut in spring 2026 and features a dramatic shift in format. Instead of the usual four coaches, only three returning veterans —John Legend, Kelly Clarkson, and Adam Levine —will appear, according to Good Housekeeping. The competition will also now center on the coaches themselves, as they battle for the ultimate title of 'Best Voice Coach.'
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The official post reads, "John Legend, Kelly Clarkson, and Adam Levine face off in the Battle of Champions, coming Spring 2026. #TheVoice | @NBC and Peacock." However, NBC has confirmed 'The Voice' Season 1 coach CeeLo Green will be back as a guest judge. So there will be four judges at some point during the season, but when is still under wraps. The announcement was met with widespread skepticism, with fans expressing frustration over the reduced number of coaches. The viewers took to the comment section of the Instagram post to express their disappointment.
A fan commented, "3 COACHES, NO WAY COME ON, 3 COACHES? WE ALWAYS HAVE 4 COACHES, NOT 3, YOU NEED A 4TH JUDGE," while another added, "Battle of Champions what does that supposed to mean? Why only three coaches?" A fan remarked, "Ohh please make then 4 coach add 1 more pleaseee." Meanwhile, a fan shared, "What happened to the 4th char." Another wrote, "ONLY THREE COACHES?? BATTLE OF THE CHAMPIONS??" while other questioned, "Wait who’s the 4th coach?"
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Notably, NBC officially announced in May that 'The Voice' will continue with Season 28, following a successful run in Season 27, where coach Michael Bublé claimed victory with his team member Adam David. While an exact premiere date for Season 28 hasn't been confirmed, the show is expected to return in September 2025, maintaining its traditional Monday night 8 pm ET time slot. A Tuesday night airing at 8 or 9 pm ET is also being considered, similar to past seasons, per US Weekly. Excitement began to build when Snoop Dogg was revealed as the first confirmed coach for the new season.
Reportedly, Snoop Dogg will be joined by returning coaches Reba McEntire, Michael Bublé, and Niall Horan. Bublé, who debuted in Season 26, won with Sofronio Vasquez, while McEntire coached Seasons 24–26 and won Season 25 with Asher HaVon. Horan previously coached Seasons 23 and 24, securing wins with Gina Miles and Huntley.