THE Voice fans have begun choosing sides in the heated feud between new co-stars Blake Shelton and Niall Horan.
Blake, 46, is set to leave the show after season 23.
The VoiceThe Voice fans are choosing sides in Blake Shelton and Niall Horan’s rivalry[/caption]
The VoiceThis season is Niall’s first and Blake’s final[/caption]
The Voice returned on Monday for season 23 with fans tuning in to watch a new lineup of Hollywood hopefuls vie for a shot at making their Hollywood dreams come true.
While viewers loved the auditions, it was the rivalry between Blake and Niall, 29, that many were really taken with.
Throughout the episode, the pair traded barbs and jokes.
Niall mimicked Blake’s accent and joked about the star’s repeated references to his final season.
Likewise, Blake cracked jokes at the former One Direction singer’s accent and downplayed his talents to competitors.
It was all in good fun, of course, and even the duo appeared to acknowledge the fun competition between them.
At various points in the episode, Niall jokingly called Blake “dad.”
Fans ate it up, flocking to Twitter to share their thoughts.
FANS REACT
One fan joked: “I love Niall and Blake’s father-son relationship.”
Another wrote: “Blake just called Chance the Rapper and Niall Horan toddlers!”
Someone else shared a GIF with text that read, “You’re really cute, but I don’t know what you’re saying!” adding: “Blake listening to Niall talk.”
A fourth viewer tweeted: “Niall replacing Lewis with Blake.”
Another viewer added: “Niall imitating Blake will never fail to make me laugh.”
A fifth fan wrote: “NIALL MOCKING BLAKE IS SO SILLY.”
Someone else noted: “Not Niall doing Blake’s finger point.”
Another added: “The Blake-Niall rivalry gives me life.”
REASON FOR LEAVING
Blake announced his departure from the show ahead of season 23.
He recently revealed the real reason he’s stepping away from the show in an interview.
During an appearance on Today, he confessed that he had contemplated leaving the show for a few years.
The Oklahoma native noted, however, that he was concerned about leaving “everybody in a bind,” so he stayed.
“I think I was close to calling it a day right when Covid hit,” he told host Carson Daly, 49, on the show.
“And then, because of Covid, I didn’t want to walk away from the show and leave everybody in a bind.
“I mean, this show changed my life. I’ll stay here until the world kind of gets back to normal again.”
Blake also opened up to Carson about how the show changed his life.
He shared: “I met my wife [Gwen Stefani] on this show.”
“It’s changed my life in every way it possibly can, from a personal standpoint.”
LAST TO GO
Although he’s preparing to vacate his chair, Blake’s commitment to The voice through the years cannot be overstated.
He is the only judge on the current panel to have been featured on all 23 seasons of The Voice.
The musician announced his departure in October 2022, taking to his Instagram feed.
At the time, he wrote: “I’ve been wrestling with this for a while and I’ve decided that it’s time for me to step away from The Voice after next season.
“It’s been a hell of a ride over these 12 years of chair turns and I want to thank everyone at The Voice from NBC, every producer, the writers, musicians, crew, and catering people, you are the best.
“I have to give a huge shout to the singers—the ‘Voices,’ who come on this stage season after season and amaze us with their talent, and a special thanks to those who chose me to be their coach.”
“Lastly, it’s about y’all, the fans, who watch and support these artists, us coaches, and everyone at The Voice who are chasing our dreams. It would not happen without you!”
The VoiceThe pair traded barbs throughout the season 23 premiere[/caption]
NBCOverall, fans seemed pleased with this season’s panel of hosts[/caption]
GettyNiall struggled slightly at first, taking some time to get his first mentee[/caption]
