Kermit the Frog gets a new voice after 27 years

Kermit the Frog is getting a new voice.

ABC News and The Hollywood Reporter report that SteveWhitmirehas lefthis role giving life to the iconic Muppet. Whitmirehasvoiced the character and made the character move sinceMuppetscreator JimHenson'sdeath in 1990.

AMuppetsStudio spokesperson tells the outlets that longtime MuppetsperformerMatt Vogel will be taking over the role. Vogel hasvoiced such characters as Big Bird, Robin the Frog and the Count.

Representatives for Disney, which ownsMuppetsStudio, didn'timmediately return a request for comment Tuesday about themotivation behind the move.

In addition to Kermit,Whitmirehad voiced grumpy criticStatler,Rizzothe Rat, the always-startled Beaker and other characters fortheMuppets.

Children's TV shows have survived changes in key cast membersbefore, most notably when Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash resigned from Sesame Streetin 2012 amid allegations he sexually abusedunderage boys. Elmo is now performed by RyanDillon.

Debuted in 1955

Kermit made his debut in a 1955 television comedy called Samand Friends,which aired locally in Washington, D.C., but helooked morelizard-likeback then. Kermit was fashioned from an oldcoat belonging toHenson'smother and was named after one ofHenson'schildhood friends.

Hensonand his two-foot-tall puppet joined Sesame Street in1969. TheMuppetShowfollowed in 1976 and ended its run in1982.

• Jim Henson and the Birth of the Muppets
• Jim Henson's puppets donated to NY museum

Whitmireand Kermit were inseparable for years, with the twomaking TV appearances onLate Night with Jimmy Fallon, 30 RockandSaturday Night Live,and in films likeMuppetsMostWantedandTheMuppetsin 2011.

Vogel took over voicing the Count whenSesame StreetregularJerry Nelson died in 2012 and soon took over many of Nelson's characters.Vogel told the fan site TheMuppetMindsetthat he foundit most difficult to replicate the Robin voice.

"The voice is somuch like Jerry's that it makes it nearly impossible to get there.Sometimes the more 'character voice' it is, the easier it is todo," he explained.