Blake Shelton Knows When To “Step Back” As Stepdad To Gwen Stefani’s Three Sons

The crooner grew up with a stepfather of his own.

Blake Shelton became more than a husband when he married Gwen Stefani in 2021, he also became a stepfather to her three children. Fortunately, that’s a role he’s destined to play.

Shelton, who grew up in a blended family himself, talks frequently about his stepdad being “one of his heroes,” and how much he respects him as a father figure.

Last week, the country star opened up to Donna Farizan on Today with Hoda & Jenna about how his childhood experience impacts his parenting style with Stefani’s kids. The Voice coach has three sons—Kingston, 17; Zuma, 15; and Apollo, 9—from her previous marriage to rocker Gavin Rossdale.

"I’ve had stepparents," Shelton said. "I think it’s, in some ways harder, more difficult. I try to be careful about when to step back, and be smart about when to step back and just talk, but no matter what, always be there if I’m needed."

Stefani and Shelton got engaged in 2020 but have been linked since 2015 when they met as co-judges on The Voice. They got married on July 3, 2021, at Shelton's ranch in rural Tishomingo, Oklahoma.

The crooner talked previously about living up to the example his own stepfather set in a 2021 interview with KFROG 95.1.

"There's definitely nothing easy about it. I don't know if it's as hard or harder or not as hard as being an actual biological parent," Shelton explained. "I have a stepfather in my life who is one of my heroes. I love my stepfather and I look up to him, and he's like a father to me, so I have a good inspiration in my life on how to do this and the kind of stepdad I want to be.

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