The Tennessean (Feb. 20th 2014)

Shelton regrets Green's exit

Blake Shelton said Wednesday that he can understand CeeLo Green's decision to leave "The Voice," but he hates hearing that it happened.

Green made the announcement on Wednesday's "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." He has been a coach in four of the show's five seasons, but wasn't scheduled to be in its sixth, which premieres at 7 p.m. Monday on NBC. The new season features Shelton, Usher, Shakira and Adam Levine.

"I campaigned a lot with CeeLo to stay," Shelton said Wednesday in Nashville. "I knew what the network was doing with changing coaches in and out, and in the back of my mind, I hoped CeeLo would be back."

Shelton attributed Green's departure to the notion that he had more than a lifetime's worth of creativity to explore.

"He probably feels like he's done his time on a reality show and he's ready to go do a puppet show or whatever he's got in mind next, maybe stripper puppets," Shelton said. 

NBC issued a statement on Green's behalf that said the separation was amicable and that he was going to develop other ideas with the network.