‘The Voice’: John Legend Says Blake Shelton Has No ‘Desire’ to Return
NBC’s The Voice brought talented new coaches on for the most recent season — but fans miss Blake Shelton. Shelton left the show after season 23, wanting to relax at home in Oklahoma and pursue his other passions. So, will Shelton ever return? Coach John Legend says fans shouldn’t expect to see the country star back anytime soon.
‘The Voice’ coach John Legend says he doesn’t think Blake Shelton is ‘coming back’ to the show
Blake Shelton was a coach on The Voice for years before calling it quits after 23 seasons. Through the show, he met his wife, Gwen Stefani, and picked up new country fans along the way. However, Shelton wanted to spend more time relaxing with Stefani and her kids in Oklahoma. He also hoped to spend more time on other commitments, like music and his show, Barmageddon.
“I think that Blake — I don’t know, I think he just wants more time, you know what I mean?” Stefani told Extra in 2022. “I don’t know that people realize, if he’s doing two seasons a year, right? In between that, he’s touring. So, he actually has two teams at the same time at a certain point, so they overlap. So, it’s a lot of brain power, it’s a lot of time away from the family, those kinds of things.”
John Legend, a coach on The Voice Season 25, spoke to Entertainment Tonight in March 2024 regarding Shelton’s future on the show. The interviewer asked Legend if Stefani or Shelton was more likely to return as a coach.
“I feel like Gwen is the only chance we have,” Legend answered. “I don’t think Blake is coming back. He’s enjoying himself. … I don’t think he has any desire to come back to Hollywood and film The Voice.“
John Legend said Blake Shelton enjoys life on his Oklahoma farm
John Legend and Blake Shelton formed a close relationship thanks to their time on The Voice. In March 2024, Legend revealed to Entertainment Tonight that Shelton sends his family food from the farm.
“He sent us some fresh corn from the farm,” Legend said. “He sent us some fresh peaches from the farm.”
Legend added that he and his famous wife, Chrissy Teigen, stay in touch with Shelton and Gwen Stefani via a group chat. “We have different group chats for each combo of coaches and then Chrissy, Gwen, and Blake and I have a group chat where we’re just couples talking,” the coach explained.
Legend and Shelton have a funny relationship and have maintained their friendship beyond The Voice. Both coaches were crowned People’s Sexiest Man Alive — Legend in 2019 and Shelton in 2017. When Legend earned the title, he joked that sitting next to Shelton allowed the country singer’s sexiness to “rub off” on him.
“I sat next to Blake long enough that his sexiness rubbed off on me,” Legend joked to People. “I learned all of his ways.”
‘The Voice’ host Carson Daly once confirmed that the country singer wasn’t a ‘Hollywood guy’
Blake Shelton enjoyed his time as a coach on The Voice. However, when John Legend says Shelton is enjoying his time away from Hollywood, fans should take him seriously. Host Carson Daly roasted Shelton during Shelton’s Hollywood Walk of Fame speech.
“Blake does not live here or even like it here,” Daly said. “After today, I assure you, Blake will never see this star again.”
Daly revealed that Shelton would get incredibly homesick while filming The Voice, as Shelton isn’t a “Hollywood guy.”
“Once, when we were shooting The Voice, he was so homesick, I had to take him to a Bass Pro Shops in Riverside just to get him to stop crying,” Daly joked.
“Blake, you are nearly illiterate, but we love you,” the host concluded. “I love you. America loved you. And whether you like it or not, Hollywood loves you.”
The Voice Season 25 airs Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
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