Blake Shelton ‘Adamant’ Divorce Is ‘Never Going to Be an Option’ in Marriage to Gwen Stefani

Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani haven’t walked a red carpet together since March 2025 — two months before he released “Hangin’ On,” their duet about “breaking up but still trying to stay together,” as the country music star put it, in an interview with Access Hollywood. Though he insisted at the time that the song wasn’t autobiographical (“I hope,” he quipped) in the months that followed, fans noticed the couple was far more muted than usual on social media after years of big gestures and overt gushing.

In January, Blake, 49, publicly pushed back on speculation he and Gwen, 56, could be headed for divorce, insisting he can’t “believe anything anymore that I see on the internet,” he said on Country Countdown USA, as reported by People. The same month, however, an insider confirmed to Star that privately, the music stars had acknowledged that “they really drifted and became disconnected” and had implemented a five-point plan to repair their relationship that included spending more time in the same zip code, prioritizing date nights and being more intentional about work commitments so they weren’t pulled in opposite directions. It was “a very deliberate reset,” explained the insider, meant to “get them back on track.”

There have been some positive signs — for Valentine’s Day, both shared PDA-filled public tributes on Instagram, with hers addressed to “my favorite cowboy” and his to his “pretty girl.” But now, with both singers booked, busy and about to hit the stage in Las Vegas for dueling residencies that begin in May — she’s at the Sphere for 18 dates with No Doubt while he’s returning to Caesars Palace after a successful run earlier this year — the whispers have returned. “It’s no secret they’ve faced some serious challenges throughout the marriage, and lately it’s been another testing period because Gwen in particular has been so busy,” a source tells Star. Though the nine-time CMT Award winner has been preparing for his return to the stage as well, the source notes, “Blake’s far happier puttering around on his ranch and enjoying his life in Oklahoma. They’ve had a lot of time apart and that’s difficult for both of them.”

New Worries

That distance — physical and emotional — has become a growing concern among those close to the pair. “Their careers are still pulling them in different directions, for sure,” the source explains. “When they’re apart they try to FaceTime, send photos and text each other during odd moments. But it’s hard when they’re both busy and distracted.” Even being in the same city doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll reconnect. “There’s no way they’ll get much if any quality time together,” says the source of their upcoming Vegas stint. “Both of them will be so busy with totally separate agendas.”

Gwen’s high-profile residency, which will see the “Just a Girl” singer become the first female performer to headline the revolutionary $2.3 billion LED-lined entertainment arena, is only “adding to the pressure,” says the source. “She’s been rehearsing nonstop and putting her heart and soul into this project. It’s all-consuming right now.”

Squabbling over priorities just highlights how different Gwen and her 6-foot-5 cowboy really are. “A lot of people are saying Gwen couldn’t wait to get to Vegas and away from the ranch,” says the source. The California native previously admitted she and the man who’s loved fishing and hunting since he was a boy are “so opposite in so many ways,” once telling Rolling Stone, “I’m like, makeup girl.” Blake, on the other hand, recently told Forbes he craves the simplicity of the great outdoors. “I don’t even care if I miss [a business] opportunity by not responding to a text or a phone call,” he said of life on the ranch. “It’s really the only way I can maintain some sanity.”

That tug-of-war has brought up deeper issues. “Gwen travels back to Tishomingo whenever she can,” says the source. “Blake tries not to let it bother him and acknowledges she needs to do this for her soul as well as her career. But he misses Gwen terribly when she’s not around and can get quite jealous at the thought of her spending her time with other people while he’s thousands of miles away all by himself.”

Culture Clash

It doesn’t help that they have differing approaches to handling conflict. “The last thing Gwen wants is for Blake to feel hurt or underappreciated, which is why she’s suggested they work things out in therapy,” claims the source. “Blake appreciated the sentiment but it really isn’t his style. He believes in solving problems the old-fashioned way, by communicating with each other, and didn’t want to involve a third party. So, they’ve struggled on, hoping the situation would resolve organically.”

It’s telling that when they first got together, Gwen resisted letting Blake in. As costars on The Voice, the country star and the pop icon bonded over heartbreak after their respective divorces — his from country star Miranda Lambert, 42; Gwen’s from Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale, 60, with whom she has three kids. “We had just met, and it was chaos. Both of our lives were in complete turmoil, all over the ground,” Gwen told People in 2024. “There was a point where I was like, ‘I can’t even talk to you. This is insane. I already have enough problems. … We’re not going to text or nothing.’”

But Blake persisted, asking her to write a song together — a collab that turned into their 2016 duet “Go Ahead and Break My Heart” — which broke down her defenses. “God putting Blake in my life was just that miracle,” she also said to People. The “God’s Country” singer echoed the sentiment, once declaring to Billboard in 2016, “Gwen saved my life.” They married in 2021 and built a life that, at least for a time, felt easy. “The relationship that we have is so natural and so normal,” Blake later told People in 2022, calling it “the easiest thing I’ve ever been a part of.” (Unlike with some Hollywood couples, money and success have never been a source of tension. While Gwen out-earned Gavin, Blake’s estimated $200 million net worth now eclipses her roughly $160 million fortune.)

Three years ago, after announcing he was leaving The Voice, Blake made it clear where his priorities lie, explaining he didn’t want to miss out on the important things in life. “For now, that’s our kids,” the stepdad to Kingston, 19, Zuma, 17, and Apollo, 12, told People in late 2022. “This isn’t about me anymore and never will be again.” Despite their troubles, family still means everything to Blake. “He made that clear when he said, ‘I’m putting our family first’ a few years ago,” confirms the source, noting that for the next two years, Blake put his career on the back burner.

Worth Fighting For

Despite the challenges, not to mention what the source says are “fears they may not make it to their fifth wedding anniversary” in July (a few weeks after Blake marks his milestone 50th birthday), Blake has been adamant he’ll never walk away. After two failed marriages, to Miranda and first wife, Kaynette Williams, the country star is determined not to repeat history. “Blake went through so much turmoil when he and Miranda split, it was probably the lowest time in his life and something he’d do anything to avoid experiencing ever again,” says the source. “He adores Gwen and is adamant that divorce is never going to be an option for them, even if they have to endure some tough times.”

For now, they’re holding on. “But all this patching up and pushing problems down the road isn’t helping them in the long run,” warns the source. “They need to find permanent solutions to their issues if they want to last — that’s the bottom line.”