“Kermit the Frog here.” There’s no doubt that you can clearly hear that Muppet’s voice in your head as he says his iconic line. Well, get ready for a change, because the voice of Kermit will soon be taken over by another puppeteer.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Steve Whitmire (who has voiced the character for 27 years) will no longer be the man behind everyone’s favorite frog. Beginning with next week’s video, “Muppets Thought of the Week,” Muppets performer Matt Vogel will take the reins.
Whitmire took over the role of the beloved Muppet frog after character creator Jim Henson died in 1990. He was picked by Henson’s son, Brian, to take over the character, according to the online magazine Kill Screen.
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Muppet fan site Tough Pigs was first to report Whitmire was leaving the Muppets.
He also voiced Kermit on ABC’s one-and-done live-action Muppets series. The Muppets Studio spokeswoman declined to discuss the details behind Whitmire’s departure.
Whitmire has been with the Muppets production since 1978, starting on The Muppet Show, according to the fan site.
Vogel has performed with the Jim Henson Company since the 1990s. Hopefully Miss Piggy won’t notice that her longtime love sounds a bit different after next week.
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