The Voice has just returned to Channel Seven, but is the long-running reality singing competition about to perform its final swan song?
According to TV Blackbox, despite just launching a new season, The Voice has already been axed for next year. The TV industry website is claiming the budget that would fund The Voice is going to be used on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here in 2027.
Woman’s Day reached out to Seven regarding these claims, with a spokesperson stating that nothing has been confirmed yet. “Announcements in relation to Seven’s 2027 programming schedule will be made in the back end of the year as part of the normal network Upfronts strategy,” they stated.
The report is especially surprising as the show’s premiere drew a national audience 1.1 million, making it the biggest launch episode since 2023.
The news comes as The Voice undergoes a revamp this season — including the introduction of a secret fifth coach, Australian singing sensation Tones And I.
However, one element of the rebooted format has struck a sour note with some viewers. With the new rules, auditioners who fail to receive a chair turn must leave the stage without hearing any feedback from coaches Kate Miller-Heidke, Richard Marx, Melanie C and Ronan Keating.
In previous seasons, unsuccessful contestants would still speak to the coaches to hear constructive criticism and encouragement.
In the new version, the chairs stay turned with the coaches’ backs to the hopeful singers, as they are left to walk off stage without any acknowledgement from the panel. Ouch!
For audiences at home, the change has made these already crushing rejections appear even more brutal on screen — and some fans reckon the show has lost its way and rejected its wholesome roots.
The Voice viewers slam the show’s revised format
The series’ changes haven’t been embraced by all of The Voice’s fans. Over in the singing show’s Facebook group, some viewers aren’t happy with the shifting format.
“I don’t like this method of focusing on the judges and their interactions,” wrote a disgruntled viewer. “I don’t like that the contestants do not get any feedback and have to just walk off the stage. It’s like a slap in the face. It is traumatic to watch. I feel sad for them.”
This one fan said that the show is not considering the feelings of the auditioners who fail to make it through. “I worry about their well-being after their performance. I used to love how positive and encouraging your judges used to be,” they continued.
“It was a great family show with a lot of feel-good moments. Not any more. You have lost a fan. I have watched all the episodes of The Voice and I will not watch it any more.”
Another unimpressed viewer said the show is missing the chance to turn a tragic moment into a teachable one. “Those contestants who dont get a chair turn need the feedback and some encouragement to help smooth over what is factually a rejection,” they said.
“I’m not sure I’ll continue watching this facade. It’s become a shell of what it was, sadly. [Australian] Idol is better in my view.”
The Tones and I twist
Tones And I joined The Voice Australia as a secret fifth coach, a new twist designed to give unsuccessful singers another opportunity. Rather than sitting alongside Melanie C, Ronan Keating, Richard Marx and Kate Miller-Heidke, the Australian singer watches the Blind Auditions from a hidden surveillance room.
From here, the ‘Dance Monkey’ singer can rescue artists who fail to receive a chair turn, mentor them as part of Team Tones and send them back to audition again.
“I feel like the fairy godmother, and I get to save all these beautiful Australian artists,” she explained. “I did hear potential and that’s why I’m here, to give someone a second chance when they missed the mark on their first Blind Audition.”
Of course, Tones is well placed to guide emerging performers. Her own career began with busking before ‘Dance Monkey’ turned her into an international star. The song’s success helped her accumulate billions of streams and multiple ARIA Awards, making Tones more than qualified to turn grassroots performers into global stars.
The chance to mentor on The Voice is especially meaningful for Tones. “I grew up watching The Voice, as any aspiring singer, artist or songwriter would,” she said, describing the opportunity as a full-circle career moment.
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