KFC Taps Reba McEntire for First Female Colonel Sanders

Kentucky Fried Chicken has seen a number of comedians, Hollywood stars and athletes take their turn to play Colonel Sanders in their commercials, but for their next pick, KFC is going country.

Starting with a series of ads airing next week, country music legend Reba McEntire will don the white suit and wig to play the Colonel, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Her outfit will have a few changes though, including a glittery shine and fringe on the back.

McEntire told the Associated Press she opted for the changes to give the Colonel look “a little bit of the country music flair.”

“I thought the transformation was really funny,” McEntire said. “”I got a big kick out of it.”

While the character has been rotated since the ad campaign started in 2015, McEntire is both the first woman and first musician to play the part.

“I said, ‘Holy smokes!,’” McEntire said when recalling when KFC approached her about doing commercials. “KFC has been a part of my life forever.”

McEntire’s ads will be to promote the fast food restaurant’s new Southern Mountain BBQ. The ads will feature McEntire’s character deny that she’s being played by a woman. The ads will run from February through April.

Previous actors to play the Colonel include Rob Lowe, WWE Superstar Dolph Ziggler, Vincent Kartheiser, George Hamilton, Ray Liotta, Billy Zane, Rob Riggle, Norm Macdonald, Darrell Hammond and Jim Gaffigan.