(CNN) — After 445 episodes, 23 seasons and 12 years, Blake Shelton says goodbye to “The Voice”.
The country star, who has been a coach on the NBC singing competition series since its inception in 2011, marked his last taping on the show with an emotional Instagram post on his verified account Tuesday, calling the moment “bittersweet.” “.
“When we signed up for Season 1, I don’t think any of us knew what it was going to be,” Shelton wrote. “These last 12 years I have made friends and memories to last a lifetime.”
One of those lifelong friends, of course, is his wife and fellow “Voice” coach, Gwen Stefani, whom he met on the show in 2014. The couple married in 2021.
Shelton also made sure to recognize the singers he has mentored during his tenure on “The Voice”: “I’ve had the great opportunity to coach some truly talented artists, 9 of whom have taken home #TeamBlake wins,” wrote the artist, adding how nice it has been “to see these artists grow so much from this show.”
“Thank you to everyone,” Shelton concluded, adding “to the team, the coaches, the contestants, the fans and my wife who have made these years truly great.”
Season 23 of “The Voice” concluded on Tuesday night with the second part of its live finale, revealing which team of coaches will emerge victorious.
Last week, NBC announced that Reba McEntire will join the coaching panel for the show’s 24th season with Stefani, John Legend and Horan.
“The Voice” airs live at 9 pm ET on NBC.