Reba McEntire Reveals If She’s Up to Replace Blake Shelton on ‘The Voice’

Reba McEntire has revealed if she’s in the running to replace Blake Shelton on The Voice. McEntire had previously turned down the job, so there is some attempt in the past. While speaking to ET’s Cassie DiLaura from the country music icon’s her new three-floor restaurant called Reba’s Place in Atoka, Oklahoma, the singer was asked if she would reconsider joining the NBC competition series. “Who could fill Blake’s shoes?” McEntire quipped with a smile.

“I got [a look at] the Holland version of The Voice. They sent it to me and I said, ‘I can’t see me doing that,’” McEntire recalled. She then added, “Because, you know, I’m a gypsy at heart,” noting that she doesn’t feel the urge to be tied down by one project for too long. “To fill Blake’s chair? Wow. That’s gonna be tough,” McEntire continued. “He did a great job and kudos to him.”

Even though it’s unlikely she’ll be joining The Voice, fans of the legendary star can still catch her on TV in the current season of ABC’s Big Sky, which also co-stars her real-life boyfriend Rex Linn (Rush Hour, Cheaper by the Dozen). Notably, Linn previously gushed over what it’s like to work alongside her on-screen. “She doesn’t stop moving,” he told TV Line in a recent interview.

“I’m telling you, man, she’s like a great white shark. Can’t stop or they’ll die in the water. [Laughs] At least that’s what the scientists tell us,” he added. Linn, continued, “Every scene was fun for me because I was working with her, and I mean that. We’ll wink at each other in the middle of a scene.” The longtime actor also praised how “brilliant” McEntire is with her lines, saying she “can look at a page of dialogue for five minutes and she’s ready to go.”

Previously, Big Sky showrunner Elwood Reid spoke to EW about how McEntire’s part as backcountry outfitter head-honcho Sunny Barnes came about, revealing that it was actually Linn who convinced her to take the part. “I called her and pitched her the character,” Reid said. “We all have this image of Reba McEntire as being America’s sweetheart, country music star. I was very nervous about pitching her this character that goes into some dark places.” 

Reid then shared how McEntire’s boyfriend, who is also an actor, urged her to take the role. “I was pitching her,” he said, “and I heard this voice in the background, ‘Yes, hell yes, you’re doing this,’ and I saw Rex Linn, who’s also her boyfriend. He said, ‘I’ve been telling her she needs to do this for 10 years.’ And then Reba stopped and said, ‘Will you hire my boyfriend Rex?’ I know Rex from Better Call Saul and lots of stuff that he’s worked on. And I was like, ‘Well, alright, that’s two for one.’”