Blake Shelton Didn’t Want Gwen Stefani On ‘The Voice’ For Season 11, Country Crooner Feels ‘Smothered’?

Blake Shelton certainly appeared disappointed by the news last season that Gwen Stefani would not be returning as a judge on The Voice . However, was the country star truly saddened about his girlfriend’s exit from the coaching panel? Is it possible that he felt too smothered by Stefani’s affections and needed a break?

According to Celeb Dirty Laundry , the hit singing competition is getting ready for some major changes in the upcoming season. Although the judging panel this season included Shelton, Adam Levine, Pharrell Williams , and Christiana Aguilera, NBC has announced that two of the judges will be replaced in the fall.

Apparently, both Aguilera and Williams are getting the boot while Levine and Shelton are staying on. With a slot open, fans expected Stefani to swoop in and become a judge for the new season. After all, Shelton has expressed his desire to see Stefani return to the set of The Voice full time. However, that doesn’t appear to be the case.

Instead, Miley Cyrus and Alicia Keys are set to join Shelton and Levine as judges for Season 11 of The Voice . With Shelton having so much influence on the show, why didn’t he secure one of the judge’s seats for Stefani? Did he need a break from her constant affection?

It still isn’t known why producers decided to pick Cyrus and Keys over Stefani. One possible reason is because Shelton simply didn’t want her back on the show with him. Shelton and Stefani openly displayed their affection for each other when she was a judge on the show. Perhaps Shelton felt a little smothered by her affections and needed a place to breathe.

Apart from Shelton’s part in the equation, Celeb Dirty Laundry is also reporting that producers may have had their younger viewers in mind when they made the new judge selections. After all, Cyrus certainly appeals to the younger generation and is currently one of the hottest singers in the business.

The only downfall to keeping Stefani away from the series is the fact that fans loved to see her and Shelton in action. Furthermore, it’s unclear how Cyrus will interact with Shelton and Levine and how her personality will mesh with the men on the show. Either way, it is a gamble to feature Cyrus instead of Stefani, although it may prove successful in the end.

Although it seems as though Blake Shelton played a role in keeping Stefani off the judge’s panel, the relationship between the two appears as strong as ever. In fact, according to MNR Daily , Shelton couldn’t help but gush about his girlfriend during this season of The Voice .

Stefani is currently serving as Shelton’s mentor on the show. During one of their team sessions together, Shelton let loose on Stefani, calling her a “rock and roll goddess diva, a living legend, a hall of famer” before Stefani pleaded for help from his team. Clearly, Shelton doesn’t mind her company behind-the-scenes.

Meanwhile, Gossip Cop is reporting that Aguilera’s departure from the show was not because of conflicts between her and the other judges. Following the news of her replacement, many fans speculated that Aguilera received the boot because of her feud with Shelton and Stefani. Apparently, there is a simpler reason why Aguilera will not be a judge in Season 11.

Aguilera is not going to return to The Voice as a judge because she plans on taking another season off. Aguilera has done this in the past, and an inside source told the outlet that the songstress “always takes a season off, and next season is no different.”

Tell us! Do you think Blake Shelton really didn’t want Gwen Stefani on The Voice this season? Let us know in the comments, and check out the video to see some of their cutest moments.

[Image via NBC]