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Season 25 of The Voice is almost here, but one fan-favorite coach will not be taking his seat in the red chairs. Why did Niall Horan leave The Voice? Keep reading to find out.

The Voice is NBC’s reality TV singing competition in which four celebrity coaches form teams of contestants through blind auditions — where the coaches can hear the singers but not see them — and compete against each other until there’s one winner. Winning contestants receive $100,000 and a record deal with University Music Group. The show premiered in April 2011 with original coaches Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera and CeeLo Green.

Niall Horan served as a coach during Season 23 and 24, both of which he won. He first won with 19-year-old Gina Miles and became the youngest coach to ever win at 30 years old. He won his second consecutive win with rock artist Huntley. The former One Direction member will not be continuing his winning streak, however, as he is not returning to the show for the upcoming Season 25, along with Gwen Stefani. The coaching panel will instead welcome back John Legend and Reba McEntire, as well as Season 23 coach Chance The Rapper. Season 25 will also feature the first-ever coaching duo, Dan + Shay.

Fans are devastated over Horan’s departure, as he had become on of the most beloved coaches. So, why is Niall Horan leaving The Voice and will he ever return to the show? We have the answer below.

Why did Niall Horan leave The Voice?

Why did Niall Horan leave The Voice? While Horan has yet to speak about his exit or provide a reason as to why he’s not returning, his decision most likely had to do with his upcoming tour The Show Live on Tour. The 76-stop tour is the singer’s first tour in three years and it coincides with his third studio album The Show. It kicked off on Feb. 20 in Belfast, Ireland, and will go until late July.

Shortly after he announced the tour, Horan reflected on the response he received from fans, writing on Instagram: “I cannot believe the response there’s been to these shows already. It’s been years since I’ve last toured so wasn’t sure what to expect. Thank you for your patience and for welcoming me back with open arms.”

Horan’s concert schedule was also the reason why he missed rehearsals for the Knockout rounds during Season 24. During his absence, Dan + Shay filled in and clearly made enough of an impression to be asked to join the show full-time. “I’ve got a bit of news for you. Because of my concert schedule, I actually won’t be in town for knockout rehearsals. Because I won’t be there, I’ve chosen another coach to mentor you guys during your rehearsals,” he told his team over Zoom. “And it’s not just one coach. It’s two.”

At the time, Horan was performing at several music festivals, including the 2023 Boston Calling Festival in Boston; Lollapalooza Paris 2023 in Paris; and Summer Sonic Tokyo in Chiba, Japan. Horan was able to return in time for the Knockout performances and he finished out the rest of the season strong with a win.

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It’s not yet known if Horan will return to The Voice for Season 26, but it’s certainly possible. Many coaches come and go on the series, including Chance The Rapper, who is now back after one season off. Four-time champion Kelly Clarkson, who served as a coach for seasons 14-21, returned in Season 23 after two seasons off as well and Gwen Stefani was a coach for sevens season, none of which were consecutive.

Season 25 of The Voice premieres on NBC at 8 p.m. EST and streams on Peacock.