Country legend Reba McEntire is officially set to exit NBC's The Voice after 2024, and many are eager to know why.
Rumors of McEntire leaving The Voice began in February 2024 ahead of the Season 25 premiere. But the Queen of Country was quick to debunk the claims on Instagram, calling any articles stating she was leaving The Voice "not true."
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Reba McEntire Is Officially Leaving The Voice
The Voice recently concluded Season 25 at NBC (aired from February to May 2024), in which Reba McEntire was featured as one of the coaches, marking her third straight run on the show.
As announced by NBC in May, the coach will soon be back on screens for Season 26 in Fall 2024 alongside Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dogg, and Michael Buble.
However, it now seems that the upcoming season airing in late 2024 will be the last for McEntire for the time being. NBC has revealed the coaches for The Voice Season 26, which is expected to air in Spring 2025, with McEntire absent.
The confirmed line-up for Season 27 includes John Legend, Adam Levine, Kelsea Ballerini, and Michael Buble. As such, McEntire will not be back as a coach for the first 2025 season, but as The Voice has a long-standing tradition of rotating its musical talent in and out, she may well be back in the future.
It appears in previously debunking the rumor that McEntire was merely reaffirming she will be present for the now-concluded Season 25 and upcoming Season 26, with her actual exit from The Voice further down the road.
Reba McEntire's The Voice Exit Explained
Plenty of The Voice coaches have departed the series over the years, many of whom have ultimately returned to the series in future seasons.
Reba McEntire has yet to acknowledge her confirmed exit from The Voice and a reason behind her Season 27 absence hasn't currently been reported.
In the past, coaches have exited The Voice for plenty of reasons, but a common one has been to focus on their music, and that may be the case for McEntire.
The artist recently debuted her new single "Can't Wait" in May 2024 after first playing it on The Voice. After debuting her latest song, there appear to be more fresh releases on the cards for McEntire, as she revealed on The Jennifer Hudson Show in May that "[there’s] going to be a new album coming out soon."
Beyond that, McEntire also has a new sitcom in the works called Happy's Place, which Deadline confirmed in May had been ordered to series by NBC to air in the 2024-25 season, meaning filming will either be underway or starting soon.
With new music and an entire sitcom on the cards for McEntire, it isn't shocking that she wouldn't have time to commit to more of The Voice for now. But depending on what the future holds for Happy's Place and her upcoming music, there may be room in her schedule to coach another season in the future.
The Voice Season 26 will premiere on NBC in Fall 2024, with Season 27 set to follow in Spring 2025.
