NBC "The Voice" season 18 coaches Blake Shelton, Nick Jonas, Kelly Clarkson, John Legend
Nick Jonas has replaced Shaquille O’Neal on an upcoming NBC competition series.
The NBA legend decided to leave the show after there were technical difficulties and filming was pushed back from the original start date. Jonas, who has experience working with NBC as a coach on “The Voice,” will be taking O’Neal’s spot, according to Deadline.
Jonas joins both Liza Koshy and Shakira as the show’s dance creators, and Camille Kostek, who is the host of the show.
People Will Compete in Dance Challenges
According to the original press release about the competition, the show “is the ultimate family-friendly high-spirited competition that brings out the performer in all of us.”
Each week on the competition, amateur dancers will be competing in dance challenges that have been designed by Shakira, Jonas, and Koshy. The dances will then be performed in front of a love audience, who decides which of the contestants was the “Best Dancer of the Night” and takes home the top cash prize.
“I’m excited to be a part of a dance competition that places such a high value on creative movement and how it translates into personal expression, not to mention how it contributes to a sense of community,” Shakira said, according to the release. “I’ve personally been blown away by some of the talent I’ve seen thanks to people having access to their own platforms through social media. Dance has been an incredibly potent force throughout my life, and I’m eager to show the world how transformative, empowering and fun it can be.”
The show is being produced by Universal Television Alternative Studio and Irwin Entertainment, and it is executive produced by John Irwin, Dave Kuba, Eli Frankel, Tina Nicotera Bachman, Ben Thursby-Palmer, Jaime Levine and Shakira.
Jonas’s involvement could be good news for fans of “The Voice.” The star has been involved in multiple shows with NBC since his time on the singing competition, meaning that he could return at some point in the near future, if a coaching chair opens up for him.
Jonas Celebrated Holi With His Wife
Jonas and his wife, Priyanka Chopra, recently celebrated Holi with a Festival of Colors in their backyard, sharing photos and videos of the celebration on Instagram.
“Holi was lit,” Jonas wrote in his video of the day.
Chopra shared multiple images as well, writing, “Do me a favor .. let’s play holi. Sorry. Had to!”
“To be able to find some joy at a time when the world feels so scary is such a blessing,” she wrote in a separate post. “Happy holi everyone. Thank you to our friends and family for playing holi like desi’s do! Feeling blessed.”
According to Time, Holi is the Hindu Festival of Colors. The holiday dates back to the 4th century CE, and it marks the beginning of winter. It takes place in March, with the dates depending on the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna.
Jonas and Chopra recently welcomed their first child into their home; the couple announced on January 21, 2022, that they welcomed their baby via surrogate. They asked for “privacy during this special time.”
“The Voice” has not yet been renewed for season 22. If the show is renewed, it likely would in mid-September.