‘The Voice’ Shakes Up Schedule Before Gwen Stefani’s Big Season 26 Return
Some schedule changes will occur ahead of Gwen Stefani‘s highly anticipated return to The Voice‘s judging panel. According to TV Insider, the 26th season of the singing reality competition show will be preempted due to the U.S. election debates (Kamala Harris and Donald Trump on September 10, while vice presidential hopefuls Tim Walz and JD Vance debate on October 1). Unlike the customary Monday and Tuesday back-to-back airings, there will only be Monday night episodes for the first two weeks of The Voice Season 26.
To make room for the vice presidential debate between Walz and Vance, the first part of the Blind Auditions will air on September 23, with the second part airing on September 30. Meanwhile, there won’t be a Tuesday episode on November 5 due to Election Night. The Voice will therefore run on its usual Monday and Tuesday schedule, except for the first two weeks of Season 26 and Election Night. The reality series isn’t the only show affected by the vice presidential debate, with the upcoming Dancing with the Stars Season 33 tweaking its original schedule to accommodate the VP debate. Instead of airing a new episode on Tuesday, October 1, DWTS would then have a two-night event the following week, on October 7 and October 8.
What To Expect in ‘The Voice’ Season 26
As was already announced back in June, The Voice Season 26 will mark Reba McEntire‘s final season. However, considering Stefani making her return after taking a break during Season 25, there is still a high chance that viewers will get to see the singer and actress at the judge’s table once again after Season 26. Of course, “Hollaback Girl” hitmaker and fan-favorite The Voice judge Stefani (who first sat on the iconic red chair during Season 7) will grace the 26th season along with another fan-favorite, McEntire. They will be joined by new The Voice coaches Michael Bublé and Snoop Dogg, making Season 26’s judging panel as diverse as ever.
The Voice‘s judges table has been constantly changing since it debuted on NBC in 2011. From former One Direction member Niall Horan and American Idol Season 1 winner Kelly Clarkson to Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine and Grammy winner Miley Cyrus, the singing competition program has seen different coaches during its 25-season run. Season 26, however, had some fans worrying about the show’s new dynamics with the coaches’ differing genres. But that’s for them to find out.
The Voice Season 26 premieres on September 23, 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Stream the series on Peacock.
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