‘Voice’ Fans React As Niall Horan Announces ‘Last Minute Bad News’ On Season 24

Fans of The Voice often gush about coach Niall Horan‘s quick wit and charming demeanor, frequently seen in his playful interactions with fellow judges John Legend, Gwen Stefani and Reba McEntire especially.

However, the conversation took a somber turn this week when viewers expressed confusion and disappointment after the official Instagram account for the NBC musical competition show shared a video of Horan, 30, announcing that he would be taking a hiatus from Season 24 filming due to his busy tour schedule.

Niall Horan Surprises Fans & Contestants With Unexpected Absence From 'The Voice'

In the new clip, the "This Town" singer informed his remaining team of nine contestants that he would be taking a break from filming for some time to promote his new music and play live shows. "I’ve got a bit of news for you," the former One Direction member said. Horan added: "Because of my concert schedule, I actually won’t be in town for knockout rehearsals."

The "Slow Hands" hitmaker added in the video: "Because I won’t be there, I’ve chosen another coach to mentor you guys during your rehearsals. And it’s not just one coach. It’s two." Horan then made an announcement that popular pop duo Dan + Shay would be taking his place due to his unavailability. While the duo is more than competent for the role, the response on social media to this unforeseen news was varied.

"So Niall will not [be] on The Voice anymore?" one fan commented on Instagram regarding the beloved coach as another added: "What? Niall, why did you agree to do this season if you weren't able to be here for all of it? Love you, but maybe it would have been better to have let someone else do it this time?"

Someone else chimed in, writing: ""Will @niallhoran be back for winning Night ? If not please advise cuz he’s the reason I’ve come back to the Voice ! Last minute bad news is not appreciated ! ... Unprofessional to say the least!" Other users praised Horan's temporary replacement, with one noting: "@danandshay are the absolute best! Let’s go!" Others used heart-eye, red heart and fire emojis to show support for the duo.

Despite the confusion surrounding his status, loyal supporters of Horan can rest easy knowing that his return to The Voice is not in jeopardy. Although he will not be present for the majority of Knockouts rehearsals, it should be noted that Dan + Shay are merely "temporary" replacements and Horan will indeed return for the remainder of Season 24.

On November 7th, as per Soaps, Horan verified via his Instagram Story that he "only missed the knockout rehearsals, but returned to film the rest of knockout rounds themselves and the rest of The Voice Season 24 after his festival run."

Confirmed by Horan, Season 24 will mark his farewell due to his packed schedule, with Season 25 welcoming the first ever "duo coach pair" in the form of Dan + Shay.