Fuming Gwen Stefani reportedly 'gunning for' Reba McEntire after country icon joins ‘The Voice’
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Gwen Stefani, who is eager to shine on ‘The Voice’, is reportedly not very thrilled with Reba McEntire’s arrival, which she perceives as a challenge to her queen bee status on the show. Just last week, it was announced that the ‘Fancy’ hit-maker, 68, will return to the singing reality show as a coach for season 24 after serving as a mega mentor this time around.
Alongside Stefani, McEntire will be joining seasoned coach John Legend and returning coach, Niall Horan. Following the announcement, a source close to Stefani revealed that she is eagerly looking forward to her time to shine on ‘The Voice’ after her husband Blake Shelton's exit. "Blake has been the king of the coaches since the start of the show and Gwen saw his departure as a chance to really shine and take over the reins," the insider told Radar Online. But according to the tipster, Stefani feels McEntire’s entrance has presented a new threat to her position. "Gwen is gunning for Reba to make sure she falls in line," the source revealed.
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Why did Blake Shelton leave ‘The Voice’?
A two-part finale for season 23 aired on May 23, bringing an end to Shelton's time on the singing competition show. In October 2022, the ‘Ol’ Red’ singer announced that season 23 would be his last after 12 years of being a mainstay on the show and nine memorable victories. The country singer at the time described his experience as "a hell of a ride," adding, "This show has changed my life in every way for the better and it will always feel like home to me."
Looking forward, Shelton stated that after the show he will be focusing on spending time with Stefani and his stepsons. "If I walked away from my career at this time, the only thing that I run the risk of is having regrets that I'm missing out on some more important things in life. For now, that's our kids. This isn't about me anymore and never will be again,” he said, according to Radar Online. Gwen and Blake, who tied the knot in 2021, started dating in 2015 after meeting as co-judges on NBC's 'The Voice' in 2014.
'Our life was having this parallel destruction'
Following Shelton’s exit, Stefani paid him a touching tribute with a compilation video, which captured some sweet memories of their adorable love story. "Who would've thought this Orange County girl and this country guy from Oklahoma would fall in love with each other on the set of 'The Voice'," she said in the video. Reflecting on how they fell in love, she recalled, "When I first came on the show, our life was having this parallel destruction happening — and the next thing I know, Blake and I start becoming besties and falling in love.”
The singer then gushed over her partner, saying, “23 seasons, he has truly changed people's lives. 'The Voice' is going to go on but Blake's legacy will be there forever. 'The Voice' is the reason that I met Blake Shelton and my life completely changed after that. Blake has a great finale, we love you and I'll see you at home." Earlier, she shared a slew of Shelton’s pictures from the show over the years. "Can't believe it's been 23 seasons of @nbcthevoice... and especially can't believe today is my final episode,” she captioned that post.