Craig Melvin to take extended break from Today and will be replaced by beloved NBC sportscaster at anchor desk
CRAIG Melvin is to take an extended break from the Today show – and his replacement has already been revealed.
The fan-favourite, 45, will temporarily step away from hosting duties on the flagship morning programme.
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Craig Melvin is taking an extended break from TodayCredit: Getty
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The anchor will be replaced by sportscaster Mike TiricoCredit: Instagram/todayshow
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Craig Melvin, Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb pictured together on the set of TodayCredit: Getty
Announcing the presenter shakeup, his co-host Savannah told viewers: “We’ve got some special news!
“After Mike gets his fill of golf, all next week he’s going to join us right here in Studio 1A.
“Craig’s going on Easter break with his kids.”
She continued: “Tirico is going to fill in and host!”
Appearing on screen, Mike said: “I know I was so excited about it and then I just watched Jon Hamm’s live audition and now I’m out. I can’t do this!
“But no, Melvin showed he can host the Olympics when I was back and forth, so figure if we try to go for even a trade here I’m looking forward to being with ya’ll next week.”
Savannah replied: “It’s all in the family, we love it.”
In January, Craig stepped into Hoda’s shoes following her departure.
Hoda wrote a letter to staff sharing her decision to leave, with the host departing the show last week once and for all.
Today guest host Olivia Munn reveals perk taken away when Kathie Lee Gifford left show 6 years ago
While hosting his first show after Hoda’s departure, Craig learned that his former co-host had a pre-recorded message for his first day.
“I’m moving forward, so reach back your hand. Grab the baton, your world will expand,” the letter said as it was read aloud.
“The adventures are endless, the people so dear. Great memories await, year after year.
“Day One! You are ready surrounded by love. Your team is the kind you can only dream of.”
Meanwhile, this isn’t the first time Craig has disappeared from Today – with the anchor replaced just one month after he started hosting full time.
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Craig took over hosting duties from Hoda Kotb after she left the show in JanuaryCredit: Getty
TODAY Show hosts
NBC’s Today show premiered in 1952 and has bidden viewers good morning every weekday since, adding Saturday and Sunday shows in the 1980s and 1990s. The show’s current host lineup includes:
Al Roker
Savannah Guthrie
Craig Melvin
Jenna Bush Hager
Carson Daly
Sheinelle Jones
Dylan Dreyer
Peter Alexander
Kristen Welker
Willie Geist
Today hosts give rare update on Sheinelle Jones 4 months after she left show to deal with ‘family health matter’
THE hosts of Today gave a rare update on Sheinelle Jones after she left show to deal with a ‘family health matter’.
She has not been seen on NBC screens for four months, but now her colleagues have addressed her absence.
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Sheinelle Jones has not be seen on Today since DecemberCredit: Getty
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Her co-stars gave an update to Access HollywoodCredit: Access Hollywood
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We previously revealed that she is set to become the permanent replacement from Hoda KotbCredit: Getty
Sheinelle Jones previously took time out of the flagship breakfast show when she abruptly stopped her anchor duties on December 18.
However, Craig Melvin, Al Roker, and Dylan Dreyer provided an update on their beloved co-star.
Craig spoke to Access Hollywood’s Emily Orozco and admitted: “I just talked to her a couple of days ago.”
“She’s taking some time to be with her family and we talk to her all the time.”
He added: “We love our girl. It’s been nice to see how much everyone else loves her, too.””
Dylan also confirmed that she will definitely be back on air, explaining: “She misses being here.”
“She wishes she was here with us, but she’s doing what she needs to do.”
While 70-year-old Al added: “We’re just praying for her.”
This comes after we previously revealed that Sheinelle was poised to officially replace Hoda Kotb as Jenna Bush Hager’s co-host when she eventually returns from her family leave.
An insider exclusively told The U.S. Sun that NBC executives have found the permanent replacement for Hoda, 60, in the fourth hour of Today.
Craig Melvin to take extended break from Today and will be replaced by beloved NBC sportscaster at anchor desk
Our source claims that she “has the job,” but added that there will not be an announcement until after her leave of absence has ended.
The star previously broke her silence when she admitted she’s been taking time off to deal with a family health issue in an emotional Instagram post.
She wrote: “It’s not lost on me how lucky I am to have not only the support of my Today Show family, but to also have all of you.
Adding: “Your kindness means so much to me.”
TODAY Show host
NBC’s Today show premiered in 1952 and has bidden viewers good morning every weekday since, adding Saturday and Sunday shows in the 1980s and 1990s. The show’s current host lineup includes:
Al Roker
Savannah Guthrie
Craig Melvin
Jenna Bush Hager
Carson Daly
Sheinelle Jones
Dylan Dreyer
Peter Alexander
Kristen Welker
Willie Geist
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The host has taken time away from the show to focus on a family matterCredit: Getty
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Her co-stars have confirmed that she will be backCredit: Getty
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They also said that they are in constant communication with herCredit: Access Hollywood
Moment bird lands on Fox News reporter’s head in middle of live TV report as he yells ‘what’s going on!’
A HILARIOUS moment from a Fox and Friends interview happened when a bird landed on one of the host’s head.
As White House correspondent Peter Doocy began to wrap up his segment, a bird decided to come and steal the spotlight.
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A bird landed on Peter Doocy’s head at the end of his Fox and Friends segmentCredit: Fox News
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The hosts were shocked when the bird flew out of nowhereCredit: Fox News
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Doocy laughed off the exchange and asked for shampooCredit: Fox News
The four commentators just finished a serious conversation about tariffs when the bird crashed the discussion.
While the hosts were thanking Doocy for his time, a bird flew from behind the correspondent and landed on his head.
Doocy immediately ducked and shooed the bird away, looking at the camera in both amusement and disbelief.
“A bird just landed on my head,” he laughed as he told the hosts.
“What is going on?”
In the background, the bird lingered as it flew around the correspondent.
All three hosts in the Fox and Friends studio began laughing as Doocy said, “I did not like that at all.”
“The back of your head, your hair is standing up now,” host Brian Kilmeade said.
“That is probably so dirty,” Doocy replied, still looking in shock.
The stunned correspondent jokingly asked the president to help “do something about these birds.”
Fox News star Dana Perino gushes over her ‘brilliant’ protege with a famous broadcaster dad who never leaves her side
“President Trump, if you are watching upstairs, we got to do something about these birds,” he asked.
“Where is the park service? They are always out here in the street and blowing except when the birds are landing on my head.”
Kilmeade responded to Doocy’s plea by simply saying: “I hope it didn’t have the flu.”
“Yeah, great. Can we get some shampoo guy down here?” Doocy asked.
Host Janice Dean shared the comical clip from the interview on Instagram with the caption, “‘A bird just landed on my head!’ I’m amazed at how calm Peter was and his hair still looks good.”
Fans were quick to react to the bizarre interruption.
President Trump, if you are watching upstairs, we got to do something about these birds.
Peter DoocyFox and Friends
“I’ve always liked Peter but I like him even more now,” one follower commented.
“This was absolutely awesome!” another commenter wrote.
“Great way for me to wake up – laughter is good for the soul!”
Another commenter joked about the amount of gel in Doocy’s hair, writing: “Good thing he’s wearing his gel helmet.”
Sean Hannity and Ainsley Earhardt’s property empire from $23.5m mansion to NYC condo as couple stays living states apart
FOX News host Ainsley Earhardt and her colleague Sean Hannity have an impressive property portfolio and plan to live in different luxury homes before they marry.
The Fox and Friends star predominately lives in New York, where she has a condo, and travels to Florida to spend time with her husband-to-be on the weekends.
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Sean Hannity and Ainsley Earhardt attend FOX Nation’s 2024 Patriot Awards at Tilles Center in New YorkCredit: Getty
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Sean Hannity decided to leave New York behind and settled in Florida, snapping up a huge multi-million-dollar estateCredit: Daniel Petroni Photography
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Ainsley Earhardt lives with her daughter in a luxury apartment building in New YorkCredit: Google Maps
Documents seen by The U.S. Sun show Earhardt is residing at an exclusive full-service condominium in Manhattan which only has eight residences.
Many of the units cost upward of $10 million and the 1920s building has a 24-hour doorman and sweeping views of the city.
Earhardt, 48, lives at the home with her nine-year-old daughter, Hayden, whom she had with her ex-husband, Will Proctor.
The host finalized her divorce in 2019 after a six-year marriage.
Earhardt’s condo was featured on theconservateur.com and was described as being “like an elevated Palm Beach jungle.”
The apartment is filled with “leopard, zebra, and other whimsical patterns, exotic antique pottery, and stylish drapes, tassels, and needlepoint pillows.”
The outlet reported that the decor blends Southern charm with New York City sophistication to create a “cohesive, uplifting space.”
Earhardt’s property is the polar opposite of Hannity’s new $23.5 million waterfront megamansion in the Sunshine State, which he bought around Thanksgiving last year.
OCEAN VIEWS
The lavish abode is a 30-minute drive from Palm Beach proper and offers eight bedrooms and 10-and-a-half bathrooms.
It is situated on almost two acres with 150 feet of direct ocean and Intracoastal Waterway frontage.
Engaged Fox News host Ainsley Earhardt gives family update in heartwarming video as she plans wedding with Sean Hannity
Boasting over 19,600 total square feet, the residence “offers scenic ocean and Intracoastal views throughout,” according to an online property description.
There are beautiful winding staircases throughout the estate, which also has an elevator.
There are many upgrades at the home including new flooring and new bathrooms.
The manicured grounds at the estate also have a heated resort-style pool with a spa and a sprawling lawn.
Hannity announced last year that he was leaving New York for Florida and would be taping both his radio show, The Sean Hannity Show, and his TV slot, Hannity, from studios in West Palm Beach.
He has since sold his Long Island estate in Oyster Bay, New York for $12.7 million.
The star first bought a home in 2021 for $5.3 million in Palm Beach, which was used as a vacation property.
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Sean’s waterfront property is in an affluent town in Palm Beach CountyCredit: Daniel Petroni Photography
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The large sitting area offers plenty of natural light and has a stunning stone fireplaceCredit: Daniel Petroni Photography
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Palm trees surround the breathtaking pool area with several decks and a large poolCredit: Daniel Petroni Photography
He now owns a second house next door for $14.9 million, which he purchased on January 27, according to records obtained from the Palm Beach County Clerk’s office.
The properties are less than three miles from The Mar-a-Lago Club, where Hannity often visits Trump, a close friend and advisor of several years.
Earhardt and Hannity kept their romance a secret but eventually confirmed they got engaged over the holidays at their home church in Florida.
“We are overjoyed and so thankful to our families for all their love and support during this wonderful time in our lives,” the couple told Fox News.
They also told the outlet they had “the blessing and support from their children, who couldn’t be happier.”
Record-breaker Sean Hannity
Sean Hannity is America’s longest-running host in cable news history.
He hit the landmark in April 2022 after racking up 25 years, six months, and 15 days (at the time) on the air.
He broke the record previously held by CNN’s Larry King.
“I am extremely grateful to Fox News Media and to our loyal, dedicated viewers whom I am proud to serve every night,” Hannity said in a statement.
The host first joined Fox’s primetime in 1996 as co-host of Hannity & Colmes.
The show pitted him against liberal host Alan Holmes – and against Larry King, who held the same timeslot on CNN.
He would eventually overtake King in the ratings battle.
Hannity has been the solo host of his self-named show at 9pm since 2009.
Earhardt previously appeared on Hannity’s show in a recurring segment called “Ainsley Across America.”
Hannity, 63, began at Fox in 1996 as co-host of Hannity & Colmes.
By 2009, his solo show became one of the network’s most-watched programs.
The couple also stepped out together at a major political event, the inauguration of President Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States.
During the ceremony, they posed for a rare photo, marking one of their few public moments as a couple.
No official wedding date has been shared yet, but it’s set to be a family affair.
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Sean Hannity also owns two homes next door to each other in Palm BeachCredit: Photography by Andy Frame
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The couple remained tight-lipped about their romance for many yearsCredit: @aearhardt
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U.S. President-elect Donald Trump embraces Sean Hannity after speaking during the FOX Nation’s Patriot AwardsCredit: Getty
‘Happy’s Place’ on NBC: Reba McEntire’s New Comedy Series Explained
Reba McEntire Releases New Theme Song for ‘Happy’s Place’: What Else to Know About Her New Comedy
Reba fans rejoice! Reba McEntire is returning to the sitcom scene more than 15 years after her title comedy series for Happy’s Place. And she’s brought some brand-new music along with her.
In the new official trailer for the series, embedded above, she released her new theme song for the series, which she co-wrote with the one and only Carole King!
Ahead of the show’s series premiere as part of NBC’s fall 2024 lineup, here’s a look at everything else there is to know about Happy’s Place!
When will Happy’s Place premiere?
The series premieres on Friday, October 18 on NBC. The show will kick off a weekly Friday night comedy hour at 8/7c, with Lopez vs. Lopez Season 3 following. Find out more about NBC’s fall 2024-2025 lineup here.
Who will star in Happy’s Place?
The multi-camera, half-hour comedy series stars the country superstar as Bobbie, a woman who inherits her father Happy’s eponymous restaurant, but her birthright will have to be shared with the half-sister she never knew about, and she’ll have to run the business with her now, too.
McEntire told TV Insider that “Bobbie’s pretty intense” and is devoted to preserving her father’s memory with the pub: “She solely depends on [the tavern] because her husband has died. Her daughter is deployed, so she’s kind of on her own except for her tavern family,” McEntire said.
Starring alongside Reba McEntire is Belissa Escobedo, who portrays her new sister and co-owner of the title bar, Isabella. Though they didn’t know about each other, they have more than just a father in common: “Isabella grew up with a single mom not really knowing who her dad was. So, she always had that piece missing. She’s given this opportunity to find a family for her own,” Escobedo said of her chracter.
Melissa Peterman, McEntire’s friend and former costar in Reba (as well as Young Sheldon, Working Class, The Hammer, and Baby Daddy), will portray her bestie and bartender Gabby. Per Peterman, the arrival of Isabella will spark a bit of “jealousy” within Gabby. Meanwhile, McEntire’s real-life beau Rex Linn portrays Emmett, the short-order cook for the bar who becomes a patriarchal figure for the women. Another Reba reunion will happen on Happy’s with a guest appearance by Steve Howey, and McEntire has even teased the possibility of some of her The Voice co-coaches joining in on the fun.
Pablo Castelblanco and Tokala Black Elk also star, and the show is written by Reba‘s Kevin Abbott, who executive produces alongside McEntire, Michael Hanel, Mindy Schultheis, and Julie Abbott.
What else is there to know about Happy’s Place?
Though she’s returning to television acting, McEntire isn’t giving up her day job as a music superstar. The country legend confirmed to People that she will be singing the theme song for Happy’s Place.
McEntire also predicted during the Television Critics Association’s Summer Press Tour in July that the show would revive some of the feel-good vibes on and off-screen that the team experienced on Reba, saying, “The thing that I can already see is going to happen on this show that happened on the Reba show, we’d all go on vacation together — the writers, the producers, showrunners, everybody — and with their families. We had such a good time. I can see this happening with this group, the camaraderie and the way we gelled on the first week while we were shooting the pilot.”
Happy’s Place, Series Premiere, Friday, October 18 at 8/7c, NBC
Reba McEntire reflects on her scandal that rocked the CMA Awards
The Rare Country Awards honor the year’s best in country music as determined by fans. Reba McEntire is nominated for female artist of the year. Cast your vote at RareCountryAwards.com. Winners to be announced Dec. 15.
Whether you’ve been a lifelong Reba fan or you’re new to the fiery redhead’s repertoire, you are, at the very least, familiar with — .the RED DRESS!
What, no? Well, it was 1993 and Reba McEntire was on fire! She and Linda Davis were rocking country music with their delicious duet, “Does He Love You,” which told the tale of a cheater and the competition between the two women in his life. In the video, the wife, played by Reba, doesn’t actually wait around to find out of he does or doesn’t choose her before she blows him into smithereens.
Anyway, Reba and Linda were set to perform the sizzling hot song on the CMA Awards and Reebs, of course, needed the perfect frock for a scorned woman. Her designer, Sandi Spika, wanted to sex it up a bit on the Oklahoma redhead, so she created a stunning scarlet gown with a neckline cut down to — well, it was cut really low. Now, in her defense, Reba’s skin was covered with illusion, and strategically placed beads and sequins prevented a wardrobe malfunction.
In a new YouTube video from the CMA, Reba admits she was a bit apprehensive about the downright sexy dress, but she trusted Sandi, as she should. And she was thrilled when she heard a collective gasp from the audience when she stepped onto the stage to perform. Things seemed to be going well until after the show when Reba met up with her family.
She giggles as she remembers, “Daddy looked at me and said, ‘Reba, did you have your dress on backward?’”
She reflects jokingly and says, “I didn’t win an award, but I made the newspaper that day.”
Reba McEntire’s New Sitcom Sounds Like A Replacement For Ashton Kutcher’s 8-Year-Old Western Show
Summary
Happy’s Place shares a similar premise with Ashton Kutcher’s Netflix sitcom, The Ranch, featuring siblings running a family business in a small rural town.
The new sitcom reunites Reba McEntire with former Reba co-star Melissa Peterman, hinting at more Reba cast appearances.
Happy’s Place is set to premiere this fall on NBC, potentially offering a nostalgic replacement for fans of The Ranch.
Reba McEntire’s new sitcom Happy’s Place shares a similar premise with Ashton Kutcher’s Western sitcom that premiered in 2016. Happy’s Place centers on McEntire’s character, Bobbie, who inherits the titular local restaurant from her late father. However, asseen in the Happy’s Place trailer, Bobbie soon discovers that she’ll be co-running the family business with Isabella (Belissa Escobedo), the half-sister she never knew she had.
Happy’s Place will be written by Kevin Abbott, who will also serve as executive producer alongside Michael Hanel and Mindy Schultheis, all of whom previously worked on McEntire’s beloved 2000s sitcom, Reba. McEntire played the titular matriarch of the central Hart family on Reba, which ran for six seasons from 2001-2007. With a shared focus on family and much of the same team behind it, Happy’s Place will be the perfect replacement show for Reba, but it also has a lot in common with a much more recent Netflix sitcom starring Ashton Kutcher that ended four years ago.
Hanel, Schultheis, and Abbott also executive produced McEntire’s Reba follow-up sitcom, Malibu Country, which ran for one season from 2012-2013.
Reba McEntire’s Happy’s Place Setup Sounds Similar To Netflix’s The Ranch
The Ranch Also Centered On A Family Business In A Small Rural Town
Based on their similar premises, Happy’s Place has the potential to be a great replacement for the Netflix Western sitcom The Ranch. Set in the fictional small town of Garrison, Colorado, The Ranch followed That ’70s Show stars Ashton Kutcher and Danny Masterson as Colt and Rooster Bennett, two brothers who help run the titular cattle ranch owned by their father Beau (Sam Elliott). The Ranch also starred Debra Winger as Maggie Bennett, Beau’s ex-wife and Colt and Rooster’s mother, who owns the local bar.
Happy’s Place and The Ranch share similar central settings and both feature prior sitcom stars.
Like The Ranch,Happy’s Place also follows two siblings running the family business in a small rural town. There are some key differences, of course, like the fact that Colt and Rooster grew up together and share the same mother and father, both of whom are still alive. Still, Happy’s Place and The Ranch share similar central settings and both feature prior sitcom stars. So far, Happy’s Place is shaping up to be a solid replacement for fans of The Ranch.
Why The Ranch Ended After Season 4 – Was It Canceled?
The Ranch Ended In 2020
After premiering in 2016, The Ranch ran for four seasons, each of which was released biannually in two 10-episode parts. Although the popular Netflix showreceived somewhat poor reviews from critics, reflected by its average critic’s score of 63.5% on Rotten Tomatoes, The Ranch had a strong following and was watched by millions of viewers throughout its run (via Business Insider). The Ranch came to an end with the release of season 4, part 2 in January 2020, right before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic which gutted a ton of ongoing productions and series.
Kutcher stated…that The Ranch had simply come to an organic conclusion and that there wasn’t any story left to tell.
According to Ashton Kutcher, who was an executive producer on the series, Netflix didn’t cancel The Ranch. Instead, Kutcher revealed on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast that the creative team behind The Ranch felt that the series had come to an organic conclusion and decided it was time to end it. “The story was told,” Kutcher told Maron. “I love everything that we did…We got to the point where we were able to let everybody know this was the last season, and that we were going to wrap it up, so everybody had time to find their next gig.”
Prior to the series’ end, Danny Masterson was fired from The Ranch in the wake of the numerous sexual assault allegations made against him in 2017. After only appearing in part 1 of season 3 in June 2018, his character was presumed dead in a motorcycle accident and subsequently written off the show, though this had no bearing on The Ranch eventually coming to an end in 2020. Masterson was later convicted on two counts of rape in 2023 and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
The Ranch Release Schedule
Season
Part
Release Date
1
1
April 1, 2016
2
October 7, 2016
2
3
June 16, 2017
4
December 15, 2017
3
5
June 15, 2018
6
December 7, 2018
4
7
September 13, 2019
8
January 24, 2020
Happy’s Place Hints At Repeating The Ranch’s Beloved Sitcom Casting Trick
Happy’s Place Already Stars Multiple Reba Cast Members
Throughout its four-season run, The Ranch featured several of Ashton Kutcher and Danny Masterson’s That ’70s Show co-stars. In seasons 1-2 of The Ranch, Wilmer Valderrama, who played Fez on That ’70s Show, guest-starred as Umberto, a former Iron River ranch hand. Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood Smith, who played Kitty and Red Forman on That ’70s Show, alsoguest–starred in seasons 2-4 of The Ranch. Rupp played Janice Phillips, the mother of Colt’s love interest Abby (Elisha Cuthbert), while Smith played the Bennetts’ neighbor, Sam Peterson.
Peterman’s casting as Gabby, a longtime bartender at the titular restaurant, sets up the possibility for more of the Reba cast to appear in Happy’s Place.
Happy’s Place is already following in The Ranch‘s footsteps by casting one of its lead’s former sitcom co-stars.Happy’s Place reunites Reba McEntire with Melissa Peterman, who played Barbra Jean on all six seasons of Reba.Peterman’s casting as Gabby, a longtime bartender at the titular restaurant, sets up the possibility for more Reba cast members to appear in Happy’s Place.In fact, Happy’s Place could finally reunite Reba McEntire with Joanna Garcia Swisher, who has expressed interest in working with her former TV mother again after playing Reba’s daughter Cheyenne on Reba.
Happy’s Place is slated to premiere this fall on NBC. All six seasons of Reba are available to stream on Netflix.
That ’70s Show Actors Who Appeared On The Ranch
Actor That ’70s Show Character The Ranch Character Appearances on The Ranch
Ashton Kutcher
Michael Kelso
Colt Bennett Seasons 1-4: All Episodes
Danny Masterson
Steven Hyde
Jameson “Rooster” Bennett Season 1-2: All Episodes
Season 3, Part 1: Episodes 1-10
Debra Jo Rupp
Kitty Forman
Janice Phillips Season 2: Episodes 1, 4
Season 3: Episodes 2-6, 13, 15, 19
Season 4: Episodes 7, 19
Kurtwood Smith
Red Forman
Sam Peterson Season 2: Episodes 11, 13, 17, 20
Season 3: Episode 1
Season 4: Episode 1
Wilmer Valderrama
Fez
Umberto Season 1: Episodes 18-20
Season 2: Episode 5
Happy’s Place Continues A Fun Reba Trend
Reba McEntire & Melissa Peterman Are Reuniting Once More
Melissa Peterman’s casting in Happy’s Place doesn’t just mirror The Ranch‘s sitcom casting trend–it also continues a trend between her and Reba McEntire. Since Reba concluded in 2007 after six seasons, Peterman and McEntire have worked together on several TV shows and one TV movie. In 2011, McEntire made a special guest appearance in episode 3 of Peterman’s Reba follow-up sitcom, Working Class, which was canceled after one season due to low ratings. McEntire also appeared in two episodes of Peterman’s next sitcom, Baby Daddy, which had a much longer run.
Happy’s Place will mark the duo’s first TV series since Rebain which they both play lead roles.
McEntire also had a recurring role as June Ballard on Young Sheldon, in which Peterman played Brenda Sparks. Although they appeared in some of the same episodes (including the series’ penultimate episode, “Funeral,” in 2024), McEntire and Peterman never acted together in Young Sheldon. McEntire and Peterman’s most recent collaboration was the Lifetime TV movie Reba McEntire’s The Hammer, in which McEntire played a judge. As their next project in a string of collaborations over the last 15 years, Happy’s Placewill mark the duo’s first TV series since Reba in which they both play lead roles.
McEntire and Peterman also guest-starred in Tim Allen’s sitcom, Last Man Standing, though they did not appear in any of the same episodes.
Reba McEntire & Melissa Peterman’s Collaborations
TV Show/Movie Reba McEntire’s Role Reba McEntire’s Appearances Melissa Peterman’s Role Melissa Peterman’s Appearances
Reba (2001-2007)
Reba Hart
Seasons 1-6: All 125 Episodes
Barbra Jean Hart
Seasons 1-3: All Episodes
Season 4: Episodes 1-9, 12-22
Season 5: All Episodes
Season 6: Episodes 1-2, 5-13
Working Class (2011)
Renee
Season 1, Episode 3, “Sugar Mama” (2011)
Carli Mitchell
Season 1: All 12 Episodes
Baby Daddy (2012-2017)
Charlotte Sweeney
Season 4, Episode 22, “It’s a Nice Day for a Wheeler Wedding” (2015)
Bonnie Wheeler
Seasons 1-6: All 100 Episodes
Season 5, Episode 1, “Love and Carriage” (2016)
Young Sheldon (2017-2024)
June
Season 3, Episode 15, “A Boyfriend’s Ex-Wife and a Good Luck Head Rub” (2020)
Brenda Sparks
Seasons 1-7: 35 Episodes
Season 4, Episodes 9, 11, 16 (2021)
Season 5, Episodes 7 (2021), 10 (2022)
Season 7, Episode 13, “Funeral” (2024)
Reba McEntire’s The Hammer (2023)
Kim Wheeler
TV Movie
Kris
TV Movie
Rex Linn Says He and GF Reba McEntire Were ‘a Little Nervous’ About Working Together on ‘Happy’s Place’
Omar Vega/WireImage
Reba McEntire planned to enjoy some much deserved downtime when she received a call about starring in Happy’s Place. This new sitcom about a woman who inherits a restaurant — and with it discovers some long-lost family — is scheduled to debut on October 18 on NBC. “I said, ‘I think I’ll take next year off,’” Reba tells Closer. “The angels were going, ‘Oh, not yet. We’ve got something for you to do.’”
Even if it wasn’t literally divine intervention, Happy’s Place was the opportunity that Reba had been looking for since the end of her first sitcom, Reba, which ran for six seasons from 2001 to 2007. “It’s my favorite thing to do,” says the country music star, who spoke with Closer at the recent Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour. She confides that she prefers the stability and set schedule of a television show over the unpredictable rigors of a cross country music tour. “Consistency is not something I’ve had the first 20-30 years of my career,” Reba explains. “With TV, you’re in the same parking spot. Same stage. Same craft services. There’s your family that you get to work with and play with. The hours are great, the weekends are off.”
Inside Reba McEntire’s New Sitcom With Rex Linn
Reba’s chosen family for her new sitcom includes two familiar faces: Melissa Peterman, who costarred as Barbra Jean on Reba; and Rex Linn, Reba’s real-life love interest, who also appeared with her in the 2020 drama Big Sky and Lifetime’s 2023 film The Hammer. “We were both a little nervous about it at first. I mean, you just never know,” Rex confides to Closer about working together. “But it ended up being wonderful.” Reba agrees. “Our chemistry on the camera is great. He’s also my coach. He helps me with my dialogue. I love that he’s always got my back and I’ve got his.”
The pair began dating during the 2020 pandemic and aren’t married yet, but they might as well be. The new TV series guarantees that they will be seeing each other day and night — and neither is complaining. “We love getting up in the morning together,” said Rex. “We like going to bed together and talking about our day. We also love going to work together.”
Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images
There have been challenges. While filming Big Sky, Reba was also flying out to perform concerts every weekend. “We’d work Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and then she got on a plane Thursday morning,” recalls Rex, who admits that their relationship was “tested” by this unforgiving schedule, “but we never got in an argument. Never. Now with Happy’s Place, we just love to be able to do it again.”
Reba is also looking forward to playing a role that’s not based on herself. “Bobbie’s a pretty intense character,” says Reba. “She’s very devoted to the tavern and to her dad’s memory, and she wants everything to stay as it is.”
Of course, change is inevitable. While Reba’s character tries to fight it, the performer is happy to embrace fresh challenges and new chapters in her already remarkable life. “Out of all the things I get to do, this is my favorite,” says Reba of sitcom acting. “You just get to go to work and play. I absolutely love it. And getting to work with these folks? Icing on the cake!”
Tim Allen donated the ’56 Chevy Nomad used in his sitcom “Home Improvement” to E-Bay’s “Auction for America” on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” at the NBC Studios in Los Angeles, Ca. October 4, 2001. Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images.
Tim Allen and Jay Leno Reunite on Another Sitcom
Jay Leno and Tim Allen are teaming up again, this time on Allen’s new sitcom SHIFTING GEARS.
The former talk show host will make a cameo as himself on the show on March 12.
SHIFTING GEARS follows Allen’s character Matt, “a widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop. Matt’s estranged daughter Riley and her teenage children move into his home, challenging him to rebuild both familial and personal connections.” Leno’s character will bring his car into the garage for repairs.
This isn’t the first time the pair’s love of cars has brought them together. Allen made an appearance on Leno’s YouTube channel “Jay Leno’s Garage” where they took Allen’s Ford RS200 for a drive.
They last time they appeared on screen together was on LAST MAN STANDING where Leno played Joe Leonard, a retired auto mechanic who later worked at Allen’s Mike Baxter’s Outdoor Man.
Leno’s guest appearance on SHIFTING GEARS comes just a few months after he suffered injuries from falling 60 feet down a hill near his hotel in Pennsylvania.
“As I’m rolling down the hill, out of the corner of my eye, I see these two older ladies, about my age, one of them says ‘That looks like Jay Leno rolling down a hill.’ The other one goes ‘Oh why would he be on a hill here?’ And then boom, I land in front of them, I’ve got blood all over me. And they go ‘Are you Jay Leno?’ ‘Hi girls! How are you?’” he said of the incident.
He went on to perform later that day, despite his injuries.
The Fate of Tim Allen’s ‘Shifting Gears’ Has Finally Been Decided
ABC is keeping the engine running on its newest family comedy. The network has officially renewed Shifting Gears for Season 2, giving fans more time with Tim Allen and Kat Dennings‘ delightfully dysfunctional father-daughter duo. Created by Julie Thacker Scully and Mike Scully, with Michelle Nader serving as showrunner, the multi-cam sitcom follows estranged father Matt (Allen) and daughter Riley (Dennings) as they attempt to rebuild their fractured relationship — with plenty of sarcasm, misunderstandings, and reluctant bonding along the way.
There initially seemed to be little chance of the show not being renewed when it debuted in January and quickly became ABC’s most-streamed comedy premiere ever, pulling in a whopping 17 million cross-platform viewers in just seven days, but doubts began to creep in as live viewership dipped as the season progressed, even though the show consistently saw solid gains in delayed viewing.
Plot details for Season 2 are being kept under wraps, but Season 1’s finale teased new romantic entanglements for Matt, renewed tensions with Riley, and plenty more opportunities for generational clashes between Allen’s conservative leading man and the more liberal younger members of the cast—the exact kind of juxtaposition that his audience has come to expect and enjoy.
Tim Allen Loves His Role in ‘Shifting Gears’
Allen is one of the kings of sitcoms in Hollywood, but after leading two of television’s most successful sitcoms—Home Improvement (1991-1999) and Last Man Standing (2011-2021)—he truly wasn’t sure if he really wanted to do another series. But when he was proposed Shifting Gears, and saw that the set was designed after his own North Hollywood garage, he admitted it was “what I always wanted” from a show.
“I love the sitcom format because of my stand-up,” he explained. “I get to be in a live audience situation. When they said, ‘What would you do if you did another one?’ I said, ‘If a guy had just lost his wife and he’s still able to be funny and [work on] a relationship with an older daughter … and I’d like to build hot rods!’ Kat Dennings said, ‘[Some people] get into a relationship because [their] parents don’t like it. Your parents tell you not to do something, so you do it.’ My daughters are not like that. I mean, we’ve had our problems, of course.”
Kat Dennings Says ‘Shifting Gears’ Has Been “A New Experience”
Dennings has also spoken recently of how much she’s enjoying her part in the series. She was interviewed on the Not Gonna Lie podcast, saying she was excited about playing a mother for the first time in her career, even though she joked she’s still “12.” Dennings stated it was the chance to try something new that drew her to the series, as well as getting to act with Allen, adding that he’s always “very present” and “really feeling these things.”
“In the first episode, we both get emotional and it was real. It’s incredible to deal with him and the kids. I mean, everybody is really amazing. That just makes the funny parts even funnier and such a relief to do. It’s just been a very good, organic-feeling show to me. Which is new, it’s a new experience for me.”
What is ‘Shifting Gears’ About?
The show sees Allen play Matt Parker, who runs a car restoration shop and has been widowed for a short period of time. His life is turned upside down when his estranged daughter, Riley (Dennings) rocks up with her two kids — Carter and Georgia — in tow. The new normal forces Matt to try and confront past grievances he may have had, while trying to reconnect with his family. Maxwell Simkins plays Carter, Riley’s teenage son. He is socially awkward, dependent on technology and a source of a lot of the generational clash humor on display. Barrett Margolis plays Georgia, Riley’s younger daughter. She brings youthful energy to the household and often serves as a bridge between her mother and grandfather. Seann William Scott and Daryl “Chill” Mitchell play Gabriel and Stitch, two family friends who work at the auto shop alongside Matt, and provide a lot of the comic relief.
Where Do I Know Tim Allen From?
Allen made his name as Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor in the long-running sitcom Home Improvement, which aired between 1991 and 1999 on ABC. It made him a household name and led to two massive breakout movie roles for the comedian. Allen also returned to sitcoms between 2011 and 2021, when he played Mike Baxter, a conservative outdoor goods store exec and family man on Last Man Standing for both FOX and ABC.
The first major movie role for Allen was Scott Calvin in Disney’s The Santa Clause. Allen played a miserly, career-driven divorcée who neglected his son, before being given the chance to become Santa Claus and redeem himself. He would then reprise the role in two sequels and Disney+’s The Santa Clauses series. Allen is also the voice of Buzz Lightyear in Pixar’s legendary Toy Story franchise. Allen has voiced the Space Ranger from 1995 through to today, with Toy Story 5 due for release in 2026.
Shifting Gears is streaming now on Hulu. Stay tuned for more updates on the progress of Season 2.
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Tim Allen donated the ’56 Chevy Nomad used in his sitcom “Home Improvement” to E-Bay’s “Auction for America” on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” at the NBC Studios in Los Angeles, Ca. October 4, 2001. Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images.
