Blake Shelton reflects on The Voice journey ahead of exit: It's been 'incredible'

Blake Shelton is weighing in on his decision to leave The Voice.

The 46-year-old country singer announced last year that he will be giving up his longtime position as a judge on the competition after season 23.

Now, during an appearance on TODAY, Shelton revealed that he was planning to do so since COVID hit.

"I think I was close to calling it a day right when COVID hit," he told the hosts. "And then, because of COVID, I didn't want to walk away from the show and leave everybody in a bind. I mean, this show changed my life. I'll stay here until the world kind of gets back to normal again."

Blake went on to quip about the one thing that would make him stay for the rest of the season of the show.

"I'd like for Kelly to not be on the show anymore," he said of his fellow season 23 coach. "I just think there's too much Kelly Clarkson on television, in general."

The singer reflected on how the show had impacted him as he joined it as a coach since its premiere in 2011.

"I met my wife on this show," Blake, who wed former coach Gwen Stefani in 2021, noted. "It's changed my life in every way it possibly can."

"When I came on as a coach on this show, I mean, everything in my life was turned upside down," he continued. "And in a good way, you know? This has been incredible, but it's time, you know. It's time for what's next. A little bit of nothing would be nice.”