Reba McEntire Will Fill Blake Shelton’s Big Shoes on ‘The Voice’
Blake Shelton is out, and Reba McEntire is all the way in at “The Voice.” After Shelton’s departure, McEntire –
Ellie Mason
Blake Shelton is out, and Reba McEntire is all the way in at “The Voice.”
After Shelton’s departure, McEntire – who currently serves a mega mentor on the show – will be stepping into his shoes as a full-time coach, joining returning coaches Gwen Stefani, John Legend and Niall Horan.
Few people could fill Shelton’s shoes after he left such an indelible mark on the show, but McEntire is more than up for the challenge as a legend in her own right.
The 68-year-old singer will be taking a red chair as “the Voice” kicks off its upcoming 24th season, according to NBC.
McEntire has had her fingers in the pie of the show since the very beginning, making her first appearance on season 1 as a battle advisor to Shelton.
See: BLAKE SHELTON AND GWEN STEFANI SHED TEARS DURING THEIR FINAL EPISODE TOGETHER ON ‘THE VOICE’
Reba McEntire will replace Blake Shelton for Season 24 of ‘The Voice.’ pic.twitter.com/Ox2rC62iwN
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) May 15, 2023
In 2020, McEntire revealed that she’d actually been asked to be a coach on the first season of the series, but that she turned it down. Her spot later went to Blake Shelton. So in a way, she’s not taking his shoes – she’s taking hers back.
People writes, “‘It is very true,’ McEntire said on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. ‘It was a very popular 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 just couldn’t do it. So I did pass on it.’
She did admit, however, that she later regretted her decision.
‘I mean, after you see a very successful show that’s been running, what, 15 years? Uh, yeah!’ she told Cohen with a laugh. ‘I’m like shoot, I should have done that.'”
Last month, McEntire and Shelton sat down with People to look back on some of their most memorable moments on the show together. In one clip, they’re working together with contestant Dia Frampton.
Watching the clip, McEntire tells People, “I remember she was so nervous. Stage fright is something I just had to get over. You just keep doing it. The only time I still get nervous is if I don’t know the song or if I’m wearing new shoes.”
Shelton adds, “stage fright was always kind of the mystery of being on stage to begin with. That’s part of the draw of it. Like, ‘Woah, that freaked me out. I want to do it again.'”
McEntire agrees, “Like a ride at Disney World or something. I don’t get nervous anymore, I just have that anticipation, I can’t wait to get on stage. It’s kind of the same thing cause you do have the butterflies.”
McEntire will certainly be getting those anticipatory butterflies as she gets ready to take over Shelton’s big chair.
Shelton announced he would be leaving the show in October 2022. McEntire was instantly floated as a potential replacement for the country star, but it’s good to know for sure that someone skilled and experienced with the show will be taking over.