Why Is Reba Leaving The Voice? McEntire’s Season 27 Exit, Explained

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Reba McEntire smiling in the Happy's Place trailer

Reba McEntire has transcended both music and television for decades, which made her an excellent judge on NBC’s The Voice. With over 75 million records sold worldwide, Reba is one of the best-selling women in country music. She is also famous for leading her successful self-titled sitcom Reba, which ran for six seasons. However, after Reba ended in 2007, her television appearances were sporadic. That is, until Reba became a judge/coach on The Voice season 24. McEntire’s tenure lasted through season 26, though she won’t be returning for season 27, leading many to wonder why Reba is leaving The Voice.

Drawing comparisons to American Idol, The Voice is also a hugely popular singing competition in which the winners get a record deal. However, unlike the former, The Voice‘s judges also serve as coaches, working with contestants to sharpen their skills. The judges come from a wide variety of musical backgrounds, with genres like pop, hip hop, and country represented. Blake Shelton is the country singer with the longest tenure, coaching from The Voice season 1-23. Though Reba only coached three seasons, she left her mark on the reality series, and will be missed in season 27.

Reba Likely Left The Voice To Star In The Sitcom Happy’s Place

NBC Ordered Additional Episodes Of Happy’s Place Season 1

Reba McEntire hitting the red buzzer on The Voice Belissa Escobedo as Isabella, Melissa Peterman as Gabby, Reba McEntire as Bobbie, Pablo Castelblanco as Steve at the bar in Happy's Place Reba McEntire as Bobbie and Rex Linn as Emmett in Happy's Place Melissa Peterman as Gabby and Reba McEntire as Bobbie hugging in Happy's Place Reba McEntire smiles at Isabella in Happy's Place Melissa Peterman as Bonnie Wheeler & Reba McEntire as Charlotte Sweeney in Baby Daddy Reba McEntire hitting the red buzzer on The Voice Belissa Escobedo as Isabella, Melissa Peterman as Gabby, Reba McEntire as Bobbie, Pablo Castelblanco as Steve at the bar in Happy's Place Reba McEntire as Bobbie and Rex Linn as Emmett in Happy's Place Melissa Peterman as Gabby and Reba McEntire as Bobbie hugging in Happy's Place Reba McEntire smiles at Isabella in Happy's Place Melissa Peterman as Bonnie Wheeler & Reba McEntire as Charlotte Sweeney in Baby Daddy

Reba certainly had a successful run on The Voice, as she became a winning coach in season 25 when one of her contestants, Asher HaVon, won the show. Though her hopefuls lost to Michael Bublé’s Sofronio Vasquez in season 26, McEntire still had excellent chemistry with fellow judges Bublé, Snoop Dogg, and Gwen Stefani. However, Reba’s TV popularity transcends the singing competition show, and the reason she is not returning to The Voice season 27 is likely because of her commitment to her new sitcom, Happy’s Place.

Although most The Voice stars failed to enter the music industry, some did build successful careers following their stints on the series.

Premiering on NBC on October 18, 2024, Happy’s Place is a multi-cam sitcom that reunites Reba with her Reba co-star Melissa Peterman. In Happy’s Place, McEntire plays Bobbie, a woman who inherits her deceased father’s titular bar in Knoxville, Tennesse along with her half-sister Isabella (Belissa Escobedo). Peterman plays Gabby, a bartender at Happy’s.

In Reba, Melissa Peterman played Barbra Jean Hart, the dental hygenist whom Reba’s husband left her for.

So far, Happy’s Place has been a ratings darling for NBC, as the series premiere drew in 14 million viewers, and 88% of viewers have been the key demographic of 18-49 year olds. NBC originally signed off on 13 episodes for Happy’s Place season 1, which is common for network shows, but has since ordered five more, bringing the sitcom’s inaugural season to 18 episodes (via Variety). There’s no word on if Happy’s Place season 2 will happen yet, but given its popularity, it’s a definite possibility.

So, it’s safe to say Reba’s departure from The Voice is likely due to shooting conflicts with Happy’s Place. However it’s possible the Reba may one day return to the singing show, as many judges have departed only to come back.

Reba’s Judge Replacement & Everything To Know About The Voice Season 27

Country Music Star Kelsea Ballerini Is Joining The Show Along With Two Returning Judges

Kelsea Ballerini as a guest coach on The Voice season 20

Country music sensation Kelsea Ballerini will be filling Reba’s coaching seat on The Voice for season 27. Ballerini will join returning coaches John Legend and Adam Levine along with current coach Michael Bublé. Carson Daly is also set to return as the series’ host. Like Reba, Ballerini is a country music singer. She has garnered five number one hits on the Country Airplay charts.

Ballerini has released five studio albums, with her debut, The First Time, released in 2015. Her debut single, “Love Me Like Like You Mean It” hit number 1 on the Country Airplay charts, making her the first female artist to achieve such a feat since Carrie Underwood in 2006. Ballerini has since had five singles on these charts, and she is also a five-time Grammy nominee.

This makes her a perfect addition to The Voice, along with the fact that she already has experience on the show, serving as the fifth judge in season 15. The Voice season 27 returns to NBC on Monday, February 3, 2025.