Gwen Stefani is currently coaching her first season of The Voice without Blake Shelton joining her in the red swivel chairs. The 54-year-old admits it is different to be on the show without her husband by her side, even though she applauds his decision to leave the reality TV talent show he had been part of since the beginning.
“Let’s face it. Blake, he’s such a huge part of this show,” Stefani told Entertainment Tonight. “I mean, he is The Voice in so many ways, so it does definitely feel weird to be back without him.”
“It feels kind of like [my] first season, before I knew he existed,” she added. “It’s kind of weird, but it’s also like, I’m having so much fun.”
Shelton announced last fall that he was leaving The Voice, after enduring the longest tenure, by far, of any of the coaches on the hit TV show.
“He’s done 23 seasons,” Stefani said. “I think that there’s only so many times you can repeat yourself.”
Photo courtesy of NBC
Still, although she understands and respects his decision to leave the television series, the No Doubt singer concedes that there is a void in his absence that no one, not even Reba McEntire, can fill.
“The thing that’s frustrating is we all love watching him,” Stefani acknowledged. “He’s so good at the show… It took me a long time to accept that he was going to [leave], because I was like, ‘Who will you be if you’re not the guy on The Voice?'”
“Ends up, he’s still the same guy and I get to hang out with him every day,” she added with a laugh.
Although Stefani at one time wasn’t sure she would want to be on the show without Shelton by her side, she has fortunately found she still enjoys being part of the singing competition, even in Shelton’s absence.
“It’s still super fun,” Stefani boasted. “I’m only here because it’s fun. The coaching and actually getting to know your team after the Blinds is my favorite thing, ’cause it’s like, the dream’s there.”
Stefani also appreciates the chance to get to know McEntire better, who is currently enjoying her inaugural season on The Voice.
“She did great. She didn’t have to do anything,” Stefani praised. “She’d be like, ‘I think you were great. I’d love to have you on my team,’ and then they’d be like, ‘I pick you!'”
Ironically, it was Shelton’s marriage to Stefani, and his role as a stepfather to her three sons (from her former marriage to Gavin Rossdale), which made him ultimately decide to leave The Voice.
“If I walked away from my career at this time, the only thing that I run the risk of is having regrets that I’m missing out on some more important things in life,” Shelton told People, when explaining his decision. “For now, that’s our kids. This isn’t about me anymore and never will be again.
“Even though I’m a stepparent, I take that job very seriously,” he continues. “The kids see me as a very important person in their life. [When they ask], ‘Why isn’t Blake here?’ I take that stuff to heart. I’ve made plenty of money, but you can’t buy time back. I don’t want any regrets.”
Stefani is joined by McEntire, John Legend and Niall Horan on this season of The Voice. The show airs on Monday and Tuesday nights at 8:00 PM ET on NBC.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of NBC / Tyler Golden