Adam Levine has been issued with a stark warning about his behavior ahead of his return to The Voice, according to sources, who claim that NBC staffers fear the singer will be as ‘cocky’ and ‘arrogant’ as he was during his previous turn in the famous red chair.
The Maroon 5 frontman, 45, who stepped down in 2019 after 16 consecutive seasons, was the second-longest serving coach behind Blake Shelton, who quit the show last year.
He will reprise his role as a coach for season 27 next year, alongside John Legend, Michael Bublé and newcomer Kelsea Ballerini.
But news of his return sparked tensions behind-the-scenes, with employees concerned he will come back with the same ‘entitled’ attitude he exhibited before.
‘Not everyone is happy with Adam coming back to the show,’ a source exclusively told DailyMail.com.
Adam Levine has been warned about his behavior ahead of returning to The Voice after being ‘cocky’ and ‘arrogant’ during his last run on the show, sources claim (pictured in 2019)
His return is reportedly causing apprehension for some employees who fear he will have the same ‘entitled’ attitude he exhibited during his final seasons (pictured in 2018)
‘There have been many changes behind-the-scenes, but there are a lot of people still there from Adam’s time before and don’t like that he will be returning, because towards the end of his last run, he was cocky, arrogant and seemed entitled.
‘People get second chances, and maybe Adam will change. But if he remains the abrasive Adam from the past, then they will get rid of him again.’
The source explained that producers were also keen to bring Levine back into the fold in the hopes that they could potentially reunite him with Shelton in the future.
‘The Voice would love to get Blake Shelton back someday,’ the insider dished. ‘The dynamic that Adam and Blake had was TV gold, and the show would love to have that back again in the future.’
They continued: ‘Having Adam back shows Blake that if he ever wanted to return, they would do it to his liking and pair him with Adam again.’
Producers are hoping Levine’s return will deliver a welcome boost of nostalgia following recent changes to the coaching line-up.
‘Adam provides some nostalgia and he knows how it works,’ the insider said. ‘It could lead to other opportunities with NBC Universal and would also keep him away from joining rival network shows like American Idol. It is being seen as a safe and defensive move to bring him back.’
DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for Levine and NBC for comment.
The source claimed producers were keen to bring Levine back in the hopes that there could be a future reunion of the singer and Blake Shelton’s bromance (pictured in 2019)
Since leaving the show, Levine – who is married to model Behati Prinsloo (pictured) – found himself embroiled in a sexting scandal
Levine was a member of the original quartet of artists on the NBC show alongside Christina Aguilera, Blake Shelton and CeeLo Green.
He won the show’s inaugural season in 2011 with Javier Colon, then again with Tessanne Chin in season five, and for the third and final time with Jordan Smith in season nine.
Back in 2019, Levine opened up about his decision to leave The Voice after nearly a decade, revealing he wanted a break from the heavy workload.
‘I really do miss it,’ he told The Ellen DeGeneres Show. ‘I love the people that I met and worked with and obviously we all know how I feel about Blake [Shelton].’
The father-of-three continued: ‘I do miss it, but I also don’t miss how much I had to work. I was just constantly working for so many years. I’m very lucky, very fortunate and blessed and all that to be able to stop at this moment to spend time with my new young family.
‘Now I’m just like a stay-at-home, where I stay home and do very little.’
At the time, he reportedly walked away from a $30 million paycheck to stay.
Sources told The Hollywood Reporter that his contract was for two additional seasons for around $30 million, as he had made around $14 million for his last season.
Levine (seen in 2017) left The Voice after 16 consecutive seasons in 2019 and won the show three times during his tenure as the second-longest serving coach behind Shelton
The hitmaker won the show’s inaugural season in 2011, with Javier Colon, then again with Tessanne Chin in season five and, lastly, with Jordan Smith in season nine (pictured in 2016)
In a post shared to Instagram he said his time on the show was ‘a life shaping experience that will be close to [his] heart forever.’
‘About eight years ago, Mark Burnett convinced us to sign up for this show where you sit in a big red chair with your back turned away from the singers on the stage,’ he wrote.
‘First thank you must go to Mark. We had no idea what we were doing or where it was going. After the first day of shooting, I sat there, stunned. I said to myself “There’s some magic here. Something is definitely happening.”’
The three-time Grammy winner concluded: ‘Thank you NBC for signing me up. I am truly honored to have been a part of something I’ll always cherish for the rest of my life.
‘Thank you to every single coach I ever sat in those chairs with. That is a shared experience that is singularly ours. We have that for life. Thank you to everyone who supported this long strange and amazing left turn into a place I never thought I’d go.’
Since leaving the show, Levine – who is married to model Behati Prinsloo – found himself embroiled in a sexting scandal when a series of inappropriate messages he had allegedly sent to other women came to light in 2022.
This fall, Michael Bublé, Snoop Dogg, Reba McEntire and Gwen Stefani will serve as the coaches for season 26.
Ballerini will return three years after making her official coaching debut in 2021 while filling in for Kelly Clarkson on season 27.
