Gwen Stefani Isn’t Returning For ‘The Voice’ Season 13: She’s Being Replaced By A New Coach
Gwen Stefani will not be rejoining her co-stars for the upcoming 13th season of The Voice on NBC.
Although the 47-year-old singer’s boyfriend, Blake Shelton, will be reprising his role as coach this fall alongside returning coaches Adam Levine and Miley Cyrus and one new cast member, Gwen Stefani will be sitting out.
On May 10, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed Shelton, Levine, and Cyrus would be joined by new coach Jennifer Hudson for the series’ 13th season.
“Jennifer is an extraordinary vocal talent and one of the premier voices of our time. She embodies the experience, expertise, positivity and sheer talent that The Voice stands for,” NBC Entertainment alternative and reality group president Paul Telegdy said in a statement. “Her exceptional skills as a singer and actress have extended to film, television and Broadway, which makes her an incredible addition and a natural fit for our show.”
Gwen Stefani first joined The Voice during the series’ 7th season and continued to appear on the show during its 9th season as she alternated installments with Christina Aguilera. At the time, Stefani and Shelton began dating and during Season 10, despite Stefani not being included as a coach, she and her country singer boyfriend took to the stage to debut their duet, “Go Ahead And Break My Heart.”
Gwen Stefani was expected to return to The Voice for its 11th season, but ultimately, it was announced that Miley Cyrus and Alicia Keys would be featured alongside Levine and Shelton. Meanwhile, Stefani, who released her latest album in early 2016, began touring the United States.
As Gwen Stefani tended to her tour and Shelton continued his role on The Voice, their relationship faced rumors of engagements and pregnancies. However, when it comes to the couple’s personal life, they appear to be happy with their relationship as is.
Although a wedding and children could be in their future, they haven’t made plans for any of that quite yet. Instead, they are enjoying spending time together and with Steafni’s three kids, 10-year-old Kingston, eight-year-old Zuma, and three-year-old Apollo, in Los Angeles and Oklahoma.
Gwen Stefani isn’t the only cast members leaving The Voice after Season 12. As Alicia Keys revealed weeks ago, she too will be taking a break from the NBC singing competition as she focuses on her upcoming album.
“I can’t wait for you to hear new music, and so that’s one of the reasons why I won’t be able to come back next season,” Alicia Keys explained to Entertainment Tonight earlier this month. “But I love writing. It’s just the most beautiful, exciting things, and every time I get better. That’s the blessing and magic of writing.”
While it is unclear why Gwen Stefani won’t be returning, Radar Online claimed the singer was threatening to quit the show weeks ago due to the impending return of Miley Cyrus. Although neither woman has confirmed rumors of a feud, the outlet suggested Stefani wasn’t a fan of the “Malibu” songstress.
“Since Miley is set on coming back to the show next season, Gwen definitely does not want to be on the panel alongside her,” an on-set source said. “And, of course, since Gwen does not want to return, now Blake is considering throwing in the towel as well!”
To see more of Gwen Stefani and her co-stars, including Alicia Keys, Adam Levine, and Blake Shelton, tune into the 12th season of The Voice on Monday and Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. on NBC.
[Featured Image by Trae Patton/NBC]
