Gwen Stefani Struggles on ‘The Voice’ Without Blake as Contestants Choose Other Teams

The entertainment industry has been buzzing with Gwen Stefani's latest disclosures as she navigates her journey as a judge on The Voice without her husband, Blake Shelton. With hopefuls seemingly ignoring her to join other teams, Stefani has openly admitted to struggling. This surprise change of events follows Shelton's decision to leave The Voice after 23 seasons, leaving his wife Stefani to carry on without him, per The Sun.

Shelton and Stefani have long had a soft spot for The Voice. Their story began on the show in Season 7 in 2014, when their friendship evolved into a romance, eventually leading to their marriage in 2021. Stefani starred as a coach alongside Shelton on numerous seasons throughout the years, creating a memorable on-screen connection that fans appreciated. Shelton's departure from the program after Season 23 marked the end of an era for this much-loved partnership.

Stefani returned to The Voice's coaches' panel for Season 24 alongside Niall Horan, John Legend, and Reba McEntire, but with one notable absence: her husband, Shelton. One of Gwen Stefani's challenges this season has been the unexpected trend of participants picking other teams over hers. Stefani watched as singers she wanted on her team chose different coaches during the blind auditions. This left her feeling dejected, and she joked that she might need to pull out her checkbook to convince contestants to join her team. One of Stefani's fellow coaches, Niall Horan, mocked her by pretending to call Shelton for backup. Stefani admitted to having texted him and that she was genuinely struggling without his presence.

Shelton shared that he would be moving on from The Voice after 23 seasons in October 2022. He expressed his profound gratitude for the show and everyone involved, including his fellow coaches, contestants, and fans who have supported them throughout the years, in his poignant statement.

Stefani has appeared on The Voice infrequently over the years. She first appeared on the show in Season 7, and she returned multiple times in later seasons, including Seasons 9, 12, 17, 19, and 22, frequently alongside Shelton. Their bond got stronger with each season, eventually leading to their engagement and marriage. Shelton proposed to Stefani in October 2020, and they married in an intimate wedding at his Oklahoma ranch less than a year later, in July 2021.

Stefani recently spoke with TODAY about Blake's absence from the current season of The Voice, stating, "I miss him so bad on the show. But at the same time, it hasn't been as hard as I thought it was going to be because I think he was just so ready to have a break." According to NBC, she also claimed that her return to The Voice for Season 24 came as a surprise, as it was a last-minute choice. Stefani has always thought the program to be entertaining and full of surprises, which is why she agreed to return.