Blake Shelton is gearing up for the premiere of season 23 of The Voice — his last-ever season as a coach — and in a new clip, he reflects on his time on the show.
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In an interview with the other coaches and host/producer Carson Daly, Shelton reveals that the idea to make his departure from the show came during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I think I was close to calling it a day right when COVID hit," he says. "And then, because of COVID, I didn't want to walk away from the show and leave everybody in a bind. This show changed my life. I'll stay here until the world gets back to normal again."
Shelton has served as a coach on all 23 seasons of the show, and this year, he's teaming up with former coach Kelly Clarkson and new coaches Chance the Rapper and Niall Horan. Shelton and Clarkson's friendly competition and banter is well documented on the show, and when Daly asked Shelton, "What would it take for you to stay?," the singer shared a snarky response.
"I'd like for Kelly to not be on the show anymore," he says, dryly. "I just think there's too much Kelly Clarkson on television in general."
Shelton also looked back on the ways The Voice has changed his life, and for him, the impacts of the show are immeasurable.
"I mean, I met my wife on this show," he says of wife Gwen Stefani. "It's changed my life in every way it possibly can from a personal standpoint."
Shelton then makes another humorous remark about the ways in which the show propelled his music career.
"Obviously, from a career standpoint," he says. "I've actually read people say the only star The Voice ever found was Blake Shelton."
"I don't know how to take that as a producer of the show," Daly responds.
"It is what it is, America," Shelton adds, laughing.
"When I came on as a coach on this show, everything in my life turned upside down in a good way," Shelton continues. "This has been incredible, but it's time — not even for what's next. A little bit of nothing would be nice."
Season 23 of The Voice will kick off on Monday, March 6, 8PM ET on NBC. The show will air on Mondays and Tuesday nights.
