"The Voice" contestant Ryan Gallagher was notably absent from the competition on Monday night and now it has emerged why. The opera singer was kicked off the show after breaking COVID-19 protocol, Entertainment Weekly revealed on Tuesday.
Fans were confused when Gallagher failed to appear on Monday's live playoffs. He had secured enough votes to advance to the next round following a tight competition for a spot in the top 17 on the Nov. 24 episode. The show's host Carson Daly said that Gallagher had to "exit the competition" but did not provide any further details.
Some fans said Gallagher left voluntarily while others still believed he had failed to make the next round. Supporters also wondered whether the contestant had contracted the coronavirus or had taken time to be with his mother, who he said had been diagnosed with the virus. Gallagher dismissed the speculation Monday in an Instagram story, before it emerged that he had been removed for not adhering to COVID-19 protocol.
"Thank you for your concern for my family, however, everybody is fine," he said in a video. "That's not the cause of what happened tonight on 'The Voice.' I didn't drop out of the show. Details are still to come."
Gallagher then shared a photo of himself wearing a tuxedo.
"2020 you are an interesting one," he captioned the black and white image.
The 32-year-old singer was selected to join Kelly Clarkson's team during week two of blind auditions. Gallagher won her over with his take on Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion's song "The Prayer."