‘The Voice’: Blake Shelton Vows to ‘Take It out on Nick Jonas’ After Gwen Stefani Exit

When The Voice returns for Season 18 next year, Blake Shelton will return, along with John Legend and Kelly Clarkson, but not Gwen Stefani. Stefani, who decided to leave the show to focus on other interests –– including her Las Vegas residency –– will be replaced by Nick Jonas, something Shelton isn’t too happy about.

“I’m gonna take it out on Nick Jonas,” Shelton jokingly vowed to Extra. “He’s gonna be sitting there, new guy … I’m gonna bully him a little bit, to be honest.”

While Shelton likely won’t actually bully Jonas, this isn’t the first time he has hinted he will give Jonas a hard time.

“He’s going down!” Shelton previously told Entertainment Tonight. “He replaced my girlfriend and that’s unacceptable.”

Stefani is already sad to be leaving her fellow coaches, especially after such a memorable season.

“We’ve had so much fun together,” Stefani said. “What a great group of human beings. It never gets old, this show … To be back four times, it’s a miracle. Hopefully, maybe I will be back one day, we will see … If not, thank you guys for watching.”

Shelton has already said he believes his girlfriend will return to The Voice in the future.

“So we’ll get Nick [Jonas] in there, and I’ll kick his a––, and then hopefully at some point we’ll bring Gwen back — or whoever it is — but I definitely don’t think we’ve seen the last of her on the show,” the “Hell Right” singer predicted.

The four coaches for Season 18 have already been hosting the blind auditions for next year, which isn’t exactly helping Shelton want to be more amicable with Jonas.

“I’m starting to hate the guy because I’m competing with him now,” Shelton quipped. “He is a tough, tough guy to go against. When you turn your chair around and there’s a young person up there, and they’re trying to choose between me and then Nick Jonas sitting down there, I’m screwed almost every time. So yeah, he can kiss my a–– till the season’s over.”

Remarkably, all four coaches have a contestant in the finale, which is Shelton’s preferred way to end the season.

“I think it’s better,” Shelton said. “It actually gives you a better chance to win … I would rather us all have one person.”

The Season 17 finale of The Voice will air on Tuesday, Dec. 17, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

Photo Credit: Getty / Jason LaVeris