NBC Makes ‘The Voice’ Coach Moves Official

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. — May 17, 2013 — Illustrating the continuity between its original and current coaches lineup, “The Voice” will bring back Christina Aguilera, CeeLo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton for its fifth cycle in fall and will pair Levine and Shelton with Shakira and Usher for the sixth cycle in midseason.

The announcement was made by Paul Telegdy, President of Alternative and Late Night Programming, NBC Entertainment.

“We locked in a plan several months ago to have the outstanding Christina Aguilera and CeeLo Green rejoin Blake and Adam for cycle 5, and we’re pleased to announce that the original four coaches are going to be back together in the fall,” said Telegdy. “They’re the reason this show was launched so strong for the first three cycles and we owe them a debt of gratitude. And after careful consideration of everyone’s schedules for next spring, we are excited to be returning the current cycle of judges — Shakira and Usher along with Blake and Adam — for cycle 6, which will premiere after the Winter Olympics.”

“We’re very fortunate to have these six incredible artists to weave in and out of the show as their performing and recording schedules permit,” said NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt. “The show has taken off largely due to the rapport and commitment of these great coaches, in addition to the expert hosting of Carson Daly.”

“I am so thrilled that our Voice family has grown from four coaches to six,” said executive producer Mark Burnett. This show thrives on the ability of our coaches to continue to balance their enormous music careers with working on The Voice to coach some of the best undiscovered talent in America. The coaching panel of Christina, CeeLo, Adam and Blake was at the heart of this show in its first three seasons and we are so lucky to have found equal success with Shakira and Usher in season four. Our best seasons are ahead of us.”

The current cycle of “The Voice” is averaging a 5.2 rating, 14 share in adults 18-49 and 14.5 million viewers overall on Monday nights, making it the season’s #3 primetime series on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in adults 18-49, as well as the #2 entertainment series and the #1 reality series, according to “most current” results from Nielsen Media Research. The Tuesday edition is averaging a 4.7/14 in 18-49 and 13.4 million viewers overall, making it the #4 entertainment series on in 18-49. Every telecast of “The Voice” so far this cycle, excluding recap episodes, has won its time period in adults 18-49.

Shelton, Levine, Green and Aguilera were the coaches for the first three seasons of “The Voice,” and helped establish the musical competition series as a dominant ratings force. Shakira and Usher have only built on that, continuing to make “The Voice” a Nielsen hit.

Shakira and Usher will reteam with Shelton and Levine in midseason. The show will receive plenty of promotional pop during NBC’s coverage of the February Winter Olympics from Sochi, Russia.