Gwen Stefani And Blake Shelton Reportedly Receive Bonus For ‘The Voice’ Season 12 Return

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton are returning to The Voice for Season 12 and according to a new report, they are getting a major bonus for doing so.

Weeks before the Season 12 premiere, a source is claiming Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton, who began dating while filming the series’ ninth season in 2015, will be getting paid to amp up their flirtation and romance for the cameras.

Gwen Stefani, 47, and her boyfriend, Blake Shelton, 40, “are getting paid an exceptional bonus that is significantly higher than the other judges to keep the spark alive on-camera,” a source told Radar Online on January 23.

“They are starting to film the promos next week and have already shot a couple of live spots,” the source explained.

When Gwen Stefani returned to The Voice to film her second season with the show, Season 9, in mid-2015, she was fresh off a split from her former husband, Gavin Rossdale. Meanwhile, Shelton was also dealing with a public breakup after ending his 4-year marriage to Miranda Lambert.

Although Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton were nothing more than friends when they first began working together on The Voice Season 7, things between them took a romantic turn during Season 9, and ever since, they have been making headlines with their super sweet romance. In addition to their frequent sightings in Los Angeles and Oklahoma, where Shelton owns a home, the couple often shares moments from their relationship on social media.

Following the end of production on The Voice Season 9, the series moved on to Season 10 with Christina Aguilera and Gwen Stefani took the year off. Months later, as The Voice Season 11 kicked off, two new judges, Miley Cyrus and Alicia Keys, were brought to the show as Gwen Stefani tended to her This is What the Truth Feels Like Tour.

Now, as production nears on The Voice Season 12, producers are reportedly hoping that Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton will not only up their flirtation but also channel their competitive sides.

“The producers really want to see [Gwen Stefani] and Blake in competition more often this upcoming season, versus working with each other like they have in the past,” said the source.

The Radar Online source went on to speak of an alleged breakup clause and possible future engagement.

“And, of course, there is a stipulation in their contract, which is more of a break-up clause. If, for some reason, they call it quits, they are both required to finish out the remainder of their existing contracts,” the insider continued. “Bosses are really, really pushing for [an engagement]… They want nothing more than for Blake to propose to Gwen during a taping of the show.”

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton have been facing rumors of a possible engagement or pregnancy since the start of their relationship, but so far, they don’t appear to be ready to get married or start a family. That said, Shelton doesn’t yet have any children of his own, so many have suspected that he may want kids eventually. As for Stefani, she already has three children from her past marriage to Rossdale, Kingston, 10, Zuma, 8, and Apollo, 2.

“They are not engaged yet,” a source close to Gwen Stefani confirmed to People Magazine last year. “Everyone is expecting it to happen at some point, though… It seems the timing [for an engagement] just hasn’t been right, but Gwen is very, very happy with Blake. She always acts giddy when she talks about Blake.”

Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton and their co-stars, Alicia Keys and Adam Levine, return to NBC in The Voice Season 12 on Monday, February 27, at 8 p.m.

[Featured Image by Christopher Polk/Getty Images]