Reba McEntire Will Reunite With Reba Co-Star Melissa Peterman On New Sitcom

The news about Reba McEntire’s upcoming sitcom on NBC just got a lot sweeter. Her good friend and former Reba sitcom co-star Melissa Peterman is joining the cast!

Peterman played Barbara Jean on Reba, the sometimes oblivious and always hilarious woman who Reba’s ex-husband (Brock) had an affair with. Brock and Barbara Jean marry and welcome a child together.

Despite the unusual circumstances, Barbara Jean wants to be Reba’s best friend. While Reba pretends to merely tolerate Barbara Jean, she also develops a soft spot for her.

McEntire and Peterman became close friends during their time together on Reba. That friendship has continued, and they always support each other’s projects.

The two friends have collaborated a few more times over the years. Most recently, they played sisters in the Lifetime movie The Hammer, which also starred McEntire’s real-life boyfriend, Rex Linn.

Reba McEntire Is Getting A New Show On NBC

NBC Universal announced in January they ordered a pilot for a new sitcom starring Reba McEntire. McEntire shared the news about the yet-unnamed show on her Instagram Story, saying she is “very excited” about it.

Not much is known about the show yet. But NBC did share a logline of the plot, which reads:

“Bobbie [played by Reba] inherits her father’s restaurant and is less than thrilled to discover that she has a new business partner in the half-sister she never knew she had.”

McEntire will also serve as an executive producer on the show. She’ll work alongside Kevin Abbott, a former writer and executive producer from the Reba sitcom. It’s also been confirmed that former Reba executive producers Michael Hanel and Mindy Schultheis are also joining the team behind the new sitcom.

Melissa Peterman Joins The Cast Of Reba McEntire’s Upcoming Sitcom

Now, we know the names of two actresses joining the cast of McEntire’s new show. One of those actresses happens to be Melissa Peterman!

Deadline shared the news of Peterman’s addition to the cast on Monday (March 18). The outlet also shared a few details about her character.

“Peterman will portray Gabby, a bartender who has worked at the tavern for quite some time. She is a bit needy and dramatic and would have loved to be Bobbie’s sister.”

Peterman celebrated the casting news in a post on social media. She wrote:

“This. This is why I have been smiling ALL the time. I am thrilled to share the news that I get another chance to work with my friends. Buckle up @reba We are going to have some fun!”

Deadline also shared that Hocus Pocus 2 and Blue Beetle star Belissa Escobedo has been cast as Bobbie’s sister, Isabella. Her character is described as:

“…an enthusiastic 20-something, who has studied psychology and loves to analyze people. She is thrilled to start working at the tavern and is full of ‘great’ ideas about how to bring it to life.”

We can’t wait to see Escobedo and Peterman in Reba McEntire’s new show! In the meantime, enjoy some of McEntire and Peterman’s funniest scenes from Reba in the video below.