OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Although Blake Shelton is leaving his coaching position on NBC’s ‘The Voice’, Oklahoma won’t be without representation among those illustrious chairs.
Shelton announced his departure in October 2022, making Season 24 the first without his guidance since the show began in 2011.
“Alas, our cowboy has decided to hang up his Voice coaching hat to spend time with family on his Oklahoma ranch,” wrote Christopher Rosa with NBC Insider. “He more than deserves the break, but he will be sorely missed.”
Now, as Shelton’s final season wraps up, the next country music coach has been revealed.
Reba McEntire is joining Niall Horan, Gwen Stefani, and John Legend to be Season 24’s coach quartet.
“There’s a new Coach in town! See you all this Fall!” the singer wrote on Twitter Monday.
McEntire joined Shelton in Season 23 as a ‘Mega Mentor’ and was even asked before Shelton to be a coach during the show’s inaugural season – although she turned it down at the time.
But with the show’s success, McEntire says she’s got big boots to fill.
“To fill Blake’s chair? Wow. That’s gonna be tough,” McEntire told Jessica White with NBC Insider. “He did a great job and kudos to him.”
The country music star has been busy this year with the opening of her three-story dining, bar, entertainment, and retail venue in Atoka, Oklahoma called Reba’s Place, and announcing her new book Not That Fancy, which goes on sale in October.
