Persistent online speculation about the marriage of Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani has prompted a rare and pointed response from Shelton, who said the volume and sophistication of false divorce rumors have eroded his trust in what he sees online.
Speaking during a Jan. 10 appearance on Country Countdown USA, Shelton addressed months of headlines claiming he and Stefani were separating, describing a repetitive cycle in which ordinary gaps in public visibility are treated as evidence of marital collapse. "I started noticing these articles popping up about 'Blake and Gwen, they're split up,'" Shelton said. "They're not even seeing each other anymore, they're going through a divorce."
Shelton described how those narratives reverse just as quickly when the couple is photographed together. "And then, a week later, a picture comes out of us walking out of the grocery store... 'Oh, they're back together again!'" he said. When no such images appear, he added, the speculation resumes. "And another week goes by, and we're not seen at the grocery store... 'They're divorcing.'"
What Shelton said now troubles him most is not gossip itself, but how convincingly fabricated images can mimic reality. He said he has seen altered photos online that appear authentic at first glance. "I see pictures of Gwen and I on social media that I really go, 'That looks so real.' But I know I don't even own that shirt, or 'Whose car is that?'" Shelton said.
The experience has led him to a broader skepticism about digital content. "[I don't] believe anything anymore that I see on the internet," Shelton said, underscoring how advances in image manipulation have blurred the line between documentation and invention, even for the people depicted.
People close to the couple, however, have consistently rejected the divorce claims. According to People, sources familiar with Stefani's inner circle said there is "no truth to the split rumours." One source attributed the speculation to logistics rather than conflict, saying, "They've just been juggling demanding schedules," and adding, "When they are together, it's just so obvious how solid they are."
Shelton and Stefani met in 2014 while serving as coaches on The Voice, began dating the following year, and married in 2021. In a separate interview earlier this year, Shelton reflected on the passage of time in their relationship. "It honestly does [feel like time is flying by]," he said. "Some of the things that we talk about, we're to the point in our relationship that it's like, 'Oh, remember what happened...' and you realise, 'Oh my God, that was 8 years ago!'"
Despite nearly a decade together, Shelton said the dynamic has not grown stale. "I feel like that might be the key to happiness, is that it feels just as exciting and new and happy," he said.
As rumors intensified toward the end of the year, Stefani appeared to respond indirectly. On New Year's Eve, she shared a brief video on Instagram Stories showing the couple celebrating midnight together, captioned "Last few hours of 2025." The post offered no commentary on the speculation, instead presenting a quiet counterpoint to months of online conjecture.
