Blake Shelton To Quit ‘The Voice’ Unless Gwen Stefani Returns?
Blake Shelton is allegedly contemplating quitting The Voice unless girlfriend Gwen Stefani returns to the NBC singing show.
According to reports, Shelton is desperate to get Gwen, who served as a coach during Season 9, back on the show and has been making it clear to The Voice executives that he may quit unless they offer Stefani a new contract to return.
“Blake is seriously pushing for the higher-ups to offer Gwen a contract for Season 12,” an insider recently told Radar Online, claiming that there’s a chance The Voice executives have begun negotiations to have both Shelton and Stefani return to the series together for Season 12 next year.
The site’s insider claimed that Blake and Gwen are currently in a “bidding war” with The Voice executives and allegedly now have a contract as couple due to their blossoming romance that first began on the NBC series.
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“They’re discussing a contract for him, a contract for Gwen and an added joint contract for whatever they require of them as a couple,” the site alleged, noting that executives at the show want both to return because they know that seeing Shelton and Stefani together is “ratings gold” for the series.
“Right now Blake, Gwen and the bosses are in a back and forth bidding war over their contracts,” the source continued. “The bosses want them to sign over exclusivity for certain things such as anything to do with their possible upcoming engagement.”
Engagement rumors have long swirled around Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton. Reports began circulating suggesting that Blake, who is the show’s only mainstay alongside fellow coach Adam Levine, could quit if Gwen doesn’t return come shortly after Radar Online claimed that The Voice executives were actually urging Blake to propose to Gwen live on air.
“Executives are really pushing for an on air engagement,” an insider told the site of the “Go Ahead and Break My Heart” duet partners earlier this month, admitting that those behind-the-scenes are offering the couple a seriously big bonus should Shelton pop the question in front of the cameras.
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“They told them both last season that there would be a huge bonus for them if they agreed to get engaged on the show,” the insider revealed, “and, of course, the offer still stands.”
The source also confirmed at the time that Shelton was seriously pushing for Stefani’s return before Season 11, which debuts on NBC on August 21, even began.
“He is already asking them to bring Gwen back for Season 12,” Radar Online said of Blake’s big plans for Stefani to return to The Voice, “and Season 11 hasn’t even started yet!”
Gwen and Blake are both yet to comment on the swirling contract and engagement rumors, though Shelton made it pretty clear that he wasn’t exactly thrilled when Stefani departed the show last year, joking to EXTRA that he wanted Gwen to return as a fifth judge.
The Voice executives are yet to comment on which of their revolving door of superstar coaches will be returning for Season 12, which is expected to premiere in February 2017, though they have made it pretty clear that they would be more than happy to welcome Gwen back to the show.
“We’d love to see Gwen back,” NBC President Paul Telegdy told reporters earlier this year when asked about a possible return to The Voice for Stefani. “She’s a great friend of this network, we love her, the audience loves her, lots of people love her,” he continued to E! News.
The site then reported that a journalist chimed in, “Blake apparently loves her,” to which Telegdy replied, “He does.”
Do you think Blake Shelton could quit The Voice unless Gwen Stefani returns?
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