Blake Shelton Is Still Reeling Over Adam Levine’s Departure From ‘The Voice’

As Blake Shelton prepares to return to The Voice for the upcoming 17th season, he admits he still can’t get over Adam Levine’s exit from the hit singing competition.

During a press conference held earlier this week in Nashville, the superstar shared his candid thoughts over Levine’s departure.

“I have to say that it worries me not having Adam there, because he’s been there from the beginning,” Shelton said (quote via PopCulture.com). “It would freak me out if Carson [Daly] left; we were the three that have been there all along, and it’s just odd to be honest with you.”

The fact that Levine is being replaced by Shelton’s girlfriend and former The Voice coach Gwen Stefani makes the situation a bit easier to deal with.

“The one thing that makes it better and okay is that they brought Gwen in,” he confessed. “Not just because Gwen’s and my relationship – it’s because she’s a veteran of that show. Also, she’s familiar with it, gets it, and that made me feel better.”

He even went on to say that he feels Stefani’s commitment to the show will play a big part in the success of the next season.

“That show, it’s a complicated thing when you’re a coach on there, to try and navigate and keep in mind at the same time that you’re also supposed to be entertaining the audience at home,” Shelton explained. “Its kind of a juggling act, so having her there, selfishly for me, made me happy, and I think it kind of saved the show with Adam going away. Because there’s no way around it, it sucks not having Adam there. He’s a major part of that show, and my favorite person to kick in the nuts.”

Shelton and Stefani will be joined by Kelly Clarkson and John Legend on the new season of The Voice, which will premiere September 23 on NBC.