Kermit the Frog might sound a little different next time you hear him. The voice of everyone's favorite loving green Muppet will not be provided by puppeteer Steve Whitmire anymore, after a 27 year run. Muppets Studio confirmed that Whitmire is stepping down from the role and have declined to offer any specifics as to why.* Whitmire was actually hand-picked by the late Jim Henson's family to take over as the voice of Kerrmie when Henson succumbed to a severe bladder infection in 1990.
Whitmire would go on to voice the loveable green frog in 2011's hit film The Muppets and its sequel Muppets Most Wanted, as well as the one-off holiday special The Muppet Christmas Carol and the short-lived ABC comedy series a few years back.
Replacing him will be Matt Vogel, another veteran of the Muppet troupe since the 1990s. He'll make his first appearance as Kermit in next week's edition of Muppets Thought of the Week. You've heard Matt's voice on Sesame Street as Count von Count since 2013!
If this news has you a little down in the dumps, here's a tune that's bound to warm your heart!
*Update:
Whitmire has confirmed that he did not leave Kermit behind by choice. He wrote about his firing in this heartfelt blog post that you can find here!