And the wheels keep turning. Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green will be reclaiming their seats as coaches for the fifth season of The Voice, NBC confirmed in a statement on Friday, May 17. The switch-up will reunite the two veteran coaches with Blake Shelton and Adam Levine, who will be returning for another go in their swivel chairs.
"We locked in a plan several months ago to have the outstanding Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo 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," Paul Telegdy, President of Alternative and Late Night Programming, said in the release. "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," he continued.
As Us Weekly previously reported, Shakira is hoping to take a season off to spend time with her infant son, according to a source. NBC adds that Shakira will also be working on her upcoming album during her time off from The Voice.
Usher is similarly taking the fall off in order to focus on his own personal projects, including an eighth studio album, as well as a role in upcoming film Hands of Stone opposite Robert De Niro.
"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," NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt said in a statement. "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."
Aguilera and Green initially announced their decision to temporarily leave the franchise in September 2012, telling E! News that her departure was "bittersweet."
"I so enjoy being a coach to my team on The Voice [and] at this point in season three, all of us coaches have truly bonded," she said at the time. "We goof around and play around. I'm going to miss it."
