The last remaining original cast member of “The Voice” is saying goodbye after 15 years — and an A-list star has reportedly been tapped as the replacement.
According to a new report by The U.S. Sun, host Carson Daly is walking away from the competition series for Season 31.
Carson Daly Says Goodbye
The “Today” show host — who joined the singing show during season 1 back in 2011 — reportedly has a good reason for taking a break from his hosting gig.
“He wasn’t able to make the upcoming season’s schedule work with his ‘Today Show’ schedule. So his ‘Today’ workload mixed with not wanting to be away from family this next year, made him say ‘no’ to hosting 31,” a source told The U.S. Sun.
Despite not appearing onscreen every night, Daly will stay on as an executive producer of the long running series.
“The door is open if he wants to return for Season 32,” the source added.
Fans of “The Voice” don’t have to worry quite yet, however. Daly — along with coaches Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine, and newcomers Riley Green and Queen Latifah — is currently filming the show’s 30th season.
Season 30 is set to premiere this September. As for the upcoming seasons, however, NBC will have to find other talent to fill in for their beloved host.
As of publication, Daly has not confirmed the news of his departure.
Carson Daly on ‘The Voice’
The former MTV VJ has been the one constant since the show’s inception in 2011. While judges have come and gone and come back again, including stars like Gwen Stefani, Michael Buble, Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson and more, Daly has been the only host.
“It’s inconceivable,” he told People in February 2021 of the show’s success. “We’re very aware of how lucky we’ve been to be a part of this show. It’s a dream job.”
Daly continued, “We started talking about the show in 2009, which was a pretty brutal year economically in the country. My [now-wife, Siri Pinter] was pregnant, I overextended myself on a house, and my late-night show was about to get taken off of NBC because of a feud between Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien. There was so much going on at the time. It was just a blessing to have the employment.”
For 15 years, Daly — who primarily resides in New York City, where he films “Today” — traveled back and forth to Los Angeles to film “The Voice.”
Carson Daly Replacement
According to The U.S. Sun, production at “The Voice” will not miss a beat between seasons 30 and 31 as they’ve already tapped a replacement for Daly.
“There were a few big names in the running to host Season 31,” the outlet reported. “Kelly Clarkson was discussed after her schedule opened up more with the departure of her daytime show.”
The insider added, “She’s already beloved by the fanbase, but Keke Palmer was also in discussions to take over the season…Ultimately things didn’t work out with Kelly, and Keke got the gig.”
Palmer — who previously served as a mentor on “American Idol” — will step in for Daly for the show’s 31st season, though it’s unclear whether Clarkson will return as a coach after season 30.
