Thomas Rhett and Kelsea Ballerini will return for the third year to host the CMA Fest TV special, airing this Sunday, Aug. 4. This year’s special will also include radio host Bobby Bones, making this year’s televised event feel like Rhett’s best one yet.
“This is my third year with Kelsea,” Rhett shared with PopCulture.com and other media. “Every year I feel like we get more comfortable in front of a camera. I think the first couple years, we were really learning what it meant to improvise on this stuff when plans kind of change with TV, but I’m excited. We get to do it with Bobby Bones this year too and so its been really cool to get to hang with Bobby and Kelsea together and we’re looking forward to it.”
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Rhett and Ballerini have become good friends since their inaugural hosting performance in 2017, with that bond only growing stronger over time. Not only just business friends, the two also enjoy double-dating with their respective spouses, Lauren Akins and Morgan Evans.
“When you spend that much time with somebody, if you don’t become friends, I think you’re miserable at that point,” Rhett reflected. “So me and Kelsea have known each other for about five years now, and me and my wife hang out with her and Morgan quite a bit. When you have this down time, you kind of just sit and talk about life and really get to know each other better. And I think the more friends you are and the better you know somebody, it definitely translates onto the TV when you get a cut next to each other.”
Rhett has plenty on his mind besides the CMA Fest TV special. He just announced that he and Akins will welcome their third daughter into the world this fall.
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“Excited to share that I will now be paying for 3 weddings,” Rhett shared on Instagram. “I feel so blessed to say that our third child is on the way and it’s a girl!! I love you so much @laur_akins. WG and AJ, y’all are gonna be the best big sisters! Bring on the crazy.”
The CMA Fest TV special, which will also include performances by Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Maren Morris and more, airs Sunday night, Aug. 4, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
Photo Credit:Getty images/C Flanigan
