Keke Palmer is taking over hosting duties on The Voice Season 31, stepping in for longtime host Carson Daly, NBC confirmed on August 4, 2026.
“Palmer’s creative range, bold authenticity, humor and heart epitomize the one-of-a-kind season,” NBC wrote in a press release. “She expertly guides the competition and connects viewers at home to the excitement unfolding on The Voice stage in a style uniquely her own. ”
The network announced the change alongside details of the season’s new format, which will be branded The Voice: Celebrity and will feature celebrity contestants rather than the show’s usual pool of undiscovered singers.
She will host the season alongside coaches new coaches Queen Latifah, Riley Green and a returning Joe Jonas, for season 31.
The songstress confirmed the news on Instagram, sharing a video with NBC where she hopped on a trend where people say the same sentence in different tones. She added, “That’s right. It’s true. I’m hosting The Voice. I’ll see you guys there.” Excited fans flooded the comment section to support her.
Palmer currently hosts NBC’s game show Password and previously worked as a mentor on American Idol. Her move to The Voice follows months of speculation about Daly’s future with the franchise, after reports surfaced that season 31 had already begun filming without him in front of the camera.
Daly, who hosted every season of the singing competition since it premiered in 2011, will not appear on camera for the celebrity edition but will remain involved behind the scenes as an executive producer.
However, he is set to return for season 30 of The Voice, which premieres Monday, September 21. The season will also feature long-time coaches Adam Levine and Kelly Clarkson.
As for reasons behind his absence, a source told The Sun, “He wasn’t able to make the upcoming season’s schedule work with his Today Show schedule. So his Today workload mixed with not wanting to be away from family this next year made him say ‘no’ to hosting 31.”
“There were a few big names in the running to host Season 31,” another source adds, noting that Clarkson was also in talks to host. ”Ultimately, things didn’t work out with Kelly and Keke got the gig.”
“Keke has blown producers away with her charisma and talent. She gets along great with both the coaches and the contestants. She is a total natural and has killed it so far, so if she wants a bigger role in the future, the door will remain open,” they added.
NBC has described the spinoff saying the contestant pool will include actors, musicians, influencers, athletes, comedians and reality television personalities. The season will still follow the show’s familiar structure, with blind auditions and battle rounds forming the competition’s backbone.
The Voice launched in 2011 with Daly hosting alongside coaches Levine, Blake Shelton, CeeLo Green and Christina Aguilera. The host has remained the program’s only constant across all 30 seasons that followed, which made him one of the longest-serving hosts on a major network singing competition.