As Blake Shelton steps down from ‘The Voice’ after 12 years, his wife Gwen Stefani, who Shelton met on Season 7 of the series, will be stepping in for her return —but Stefani didn’t think that would happen.
It was officially announced that Gwen Stefani will return as one of next season’s coaches on the series, joining returning coach John Legend, current coach Niall Horan, and newest panel addition Reba McEntire.
But according to her husband, Stefani, who had been a coach for Seasons 7, 9, 12, 17, 19, and 22, didn’t anticipate her return for another round in the big red chair.
During a red carpet interview for the Live Semi-Finals, Blake Shelton confessed that Stefani had her doubts of ever receiving another invite to return.
“When I finally came to the conclusion that I was going to call it a day, last year, she even said, ‘Well, I guess they probably won’t have me back ever again, then,’” Shelton said.
“And I go, ‘What are you talking about? You know they had you, they invited you to be a coach for seasons before you and I were ever a thing,’ Shelton argued. “And she was like, ‘Oh, yeah, that’s right. They did do that.’”
“And then, sure enough, she’s already going to be back,” Shelton continued. “She was excited to get the call.”
Stefani has been proven to be a leading coach on her own, taking one of her artists all the way to the end to win Season 19.
Season 24 of ‘The Voice’ will bring along many changes, with Stefani rejoining and Reba McEntire taking Sheltons place. Season 23 will announce its winner tonight, May 23, at 9/8 CT.
