Reba McEntire Announced As New Coach On 'The Voice' Following Blake Shelton's Exit

Reba McEntireis returning to "The Voice" as a coach for the 24th Season, joining Niall Horan, Gwen Stefani, and John Legend. The country music icon previously appeared as a battle advisor in season 1 and as a mega mentor in the current Season.

In an interview, McEntire revealed that she had been asked to be a coach on the first Season of "The Voice" but declined the offer. However, she later expressed regret about the decision.

Keep on reading to learn more.

An exciting announcement on Monday revealed that Reba McEntire would be returning to the popular NBC competition series, "The Voice." This time, the legendary country star will be taking on the role of a coach in the show's upcoming 24th Season.

Fans can expect to see her occupying one of the iconic rotating red chairs alongside a star-studded panel that includes Season 23 coach Niall Horan and longtime coaches Gwen Stefani and John Legend. The anticipation is at an all-time high as the new Season, set to air in the fall of 2023, promises to bring an impressive lineup of talent and intense vocal battles.

According to People magazine, The announcement was made at the NBC Upfronts event, where McEntire wowed the audience with a captivating performance of her timeless hit song, "Fancy."

McEntire's history with "The Voice" dates back to the show's inaugural Season in 2011 when she joined as a battle advisor for Team Blake Shelton. Fast forward to February of this year, and she returned triumphantly to the show as a mega-mentor, providing valuable advice to contestants as they prepared for the intense knockout rounds.

Interestingly, the 68-year-old revealed in 2020 that she was approached to be a coach on the first Season of "The Voice." However, she declined the offer at that time, allowing Blake Shelton to take her spot. Now, in a role reversal, she will take Shelton's place in the coach's chair for the upcoming 24th Season.

Per People, during an appearance on "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen," the "Consider Me Gone" hitmaker shared her reasoning, saying, "It was a top-rated show in Holland, I'm pretty sure, and I watched the tape, and I said, 'No, I'm going to pass on that,' because I don't think I could ever be able to tell somebody that they're terrible or go find another job or hope you like your nighttime job. I couldn't do that day in and day out. I couldn't do it. So I did pass on it."

However, she later confessed that she regretted her decision as she witnessed the show's immense success. "After seeing a successful show that's been running, what, 15 years? Uh, yeah! I'm like, shoot; I should have done that," she added.

After an impressive tenure of 12 years and nine wins, the 23rd Season of "The Voice" marked Shelton's final appearance as a coach. In October 2022, the country star announced that he would be stepping away from the acclaimed NBC singing competition, a decision he had contemplated for some time.

"I've been wrestling with this for a while, and I've decided that it's time for me to step away from 'The Voice' after season 23," he shared on Instagram. "This show has changed my life for the better and will always feel like home to me."

He added, "It's been a hell of a ride over these 12 years of chair turns, and I want to thank everyone at 'The Voice' from NBC, every producer, the writers, musicians, crew, and catering people; you are the best."

Shelton's coaching journey began in the first season, where he joined forces with Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera, and CeeLo Green. The dynamic duo of Shelton and Levine continued to captivate audiences until Levine's departure in Season 16. The red chairs have seen a rotating cast of star coaches, including Ariana Grande, Nick Jonas, and Shakira.

Recently, People shared an exclusive behind-the-scenes video of Shelton and McEntire reminiscing about their shared moments on "The Voice."

As the duo watched a clip from the first Season of "The Voice" in 2011, where McEntire served as an advisor for Shelton's team, they playfully bantered. McEntire jokingly asked Shelton if his voice had changed after that Season, to which he humorously replied, "It must have. Oh my God, that was before puberty. What happened to me?"

McEntire praised their enduring presence in the industry, saying, "I think we've weathered very well," to which Shelton replied, "You think so? I think you have... I'm not even sure that I'm alive right now."