Blake Shelton Thinks He Stayed on ‘The Voice’ ‘Too Long’

Blake Shelton opens up about life afterwards The voice.

Shelton, 47, confessed during the Friday, November 17, episode The Jennifer Hudson Show that he’s been enjoying his time off since leaving the reality singing competition earlier this year.

When asked if he had missed his coaching gig, Shelton replied, “Not yet,” adding, “I mean, I did that show for 23 seasons.”

The country singer, who joined in The voice when the film premiered in 2011, he also admitted that he had wanted to quit sooner, but the COVID-19 pandemic thwarted his plans.

“To be completely honest, I wasn’t even planning on staying there that long,” he said. “I was planning on finishing it around 20 seasons or 21 seasons and then obviously COVID hit and then I didn’t want to leave the show in the middle of the show and they were trying to scramble and figure out what to do, so I stayed. I had nothing else to do anyway, so I stayed a little longer. But I stayed too long to miss it now, I can promise you that.

Shelton revealed that he had received an important memento to commemorate his time The voice – the characteristic red chair.

“I have my seat,” he said. “It was the only thing I wanted – besides a lot of money – that I wanted to take home The voice, so they did, they sent it to Oklahoma.

All jokes aside, Shelton acknowledged that The voice changed his life in “many ways,” the most impactful of which was his relationship with his current wife Gwen Stefaniwhom he met while filming the show in 2014.

“It all goes back to The voice” Shelton said of his life with Stefani, 54, who returned as coach for the 24th season, which is now airing. “The voice, it connected everything. I had a career in country music, but then they asked me to join The voice and it literally changed my life in so many ways. I mean, look at the family there. It’s like I’m suddenly like this The Brady Gang.”

When Shelton and Stefani tied the knot in 2021, he became her and ex-husband’s stepfather Gavin Rossdale‘s three sons, Kingston, 17, Zuma, 15, and Apollo, 10. His time away from The Voice has allowed him to bond more with the kids.

“It was such a relief to have more flexibility with his schedule,” a source exclusively shared We weekly in September. “Seeing Blake ultra-relaxed and in family mode is so endearing for Gwen and reminds her what a catch he is.”