Gwen Stefani Hits Back After ‘The Voice’ Fans Call Blake Shelton Romance ‘Fake’

Gwen Stefani is hitting back after some The Voice fans accused her excessive flirting with boyfriend Blake Shelton on the NBC show of being “fake” and a ratings ploy.

Ever since Season 12 of the The Voice premiered last month, Blake and Gwen have been receiving a whole lot of backlash from some fans of the talent search over their PDA, while some viewers even went as far as to claim that Shelton and Stefani’s very public displays of affection were “fake” in an attempt to bring attention to the show.

“I wonder if we’re gonna have to listen about Gwen and Blake’s fake romance all season long?” The Voice fan @Kristie1311 asked of Shelton and Stefani during The Voice’s Season 12 premiere in February, while Twitter user @AsiaAlexander added earlier this month, “Quit trying to force The Voice on me… Don’t nobody want to watch Gwen and Blake’s fake rebound relationship.”

Other The Voice watchers even accused Blake and Gwen, who have been dating for almost a year and a half after first meeting on Season 7 of the series in 2014, of hamming up their romance on the show for publicity amid reports claiming that Shelton and Stefani could allegedly be getting a big bonus from The Voice execs to put their PDA on full display.

“#TheVoice the world already knows Gwen, Blake [are] together they rub it in so much that it’s starting to be sickening. The laughs, so fake!” @L5ady7 wrote of Shelton and Stefani’s flirting, while @miIeyslighter accused The Voice of “Using Gwen and Blake’s relationship for ratings.”

However, Gwen now appears to be hitting back at fans suggesting her romance with Blake is supposedly “fake” as well as slamming those claiming their excessive flirting on The Voice is a ratings ploy, admitting in a new interview with Entertainment Tonight that her and Shelton’s interactions on the show are very much real and authentic.

“The show is so real,” Gwen Stefani told the site of The Voice amid the drama surrounding her and Blake Shelton’s flirting on the show. “All it is is us just being there and being us,” Stefani continued of herself and Shelton, “so, it’s been really fun.”

Stefani also went on to reveal in the interview that she was actually “nervous” to sit by Blake’s side on The Voice after sitting out Seasons 10 and 11 following reports that her and Shelton’s flirting on the show may have led to a decline in ratings.

“I feel like when we were coming back this season, I was a little nervous,” Stefani revealed of how she felt reclaiming her red revolving chair from Season 11 coach Miley Cyrus and sitting alongside Shelton again. “I was like, ‘This is going to be weird!'”

Gwen’s latest hit back comes after a whole lot of drama from fans over her and Blake’s flirting on the show, as a number of viewers slammed the couple on Twitter and claimed that both Stefani and Shelton appeared to be more interested in showing off some serious PDA than filling up their teams and finding talent when Season 12 kicked off last month.

Others were quick to slam Gwen and Blake on the 140-character site by calling out Shelton and Stefani, claiming for that putting their relationship on display in such a big way on The Voice was unprofessional.

“OK. Gwen [and] Blake please keep it professional. I loved it when you were flirting, but not so obvious. I am here to watch The Voice and the talent. [Thank you],” @3rdeyetravler wrote online in response to Shelton and Stefani’s flirty interactions, while @StoneColdAngel8 added of Blake and Gwen’s flirting during Season 12, “Blake and Gwen shouldn’t be on The Voice together… it just seems like one big flirting competition session.”

What do you think of Gwen Stefani hitting back at The Voice claims suggesting her and Blake Shelton’s flirting is “fake” and a ratings ploy by NBC?

[Featured Image Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartMedia]