There's a place for Melissa Peterman in Reba McEntire's heart -- and on her new show.
The country star is set to make her return to scripted television once again with the upcoming NBC sitcom, Happy's Place. But her's is not the only familiar face fans will see. Her former Reba co-star, Peterman, has also been cast in the comedy, which centers on McEntire as Bobbie, who has inherited her father's restaurant following his death and discovers that her business partner is a half-sister she did not know she had, played by Hocus Pocus 2 star Belissa Escobedo. Meanwhile, Peterman has been cast as Gabby, a bartender at the restaurant.
The show also rejoins McEntire with executive producers Michael Hanel and Mindy Schultheis and writer Kevin Abbott, all three of whom worked on her eponymous sitcom. Needless to say, it comes as no surprise that filming the new pilot came easy.
"The cast is wonderful. We're so excited," McEntire told ET's Cassie DiLaura on Monday on The Voice red carpet. "We shot the pilot and everybody said, 'You know, this is like a second season first episode instead of the pilot and that's the way I felt. Everybody gelled, everybody got along, and the writing is wonderful, so I'm really happy. I'm so happy."
ET also got McEntire's reaction to what Peterman said about her during a recent interview with ET, in which she emotionally said the country icon is "like coming home."
Reba McEntire and Melissa Peterman starred together for six seasons of the early 2000s sitcom, Reba.
"I think that in this business, we have a lot of 'Hollywood friends' and you have friends that you share just the good stuff with," Peterman described, her eyes welling up. "I think I knew that when we started sharing real-life stuff that it was forever. I know she's got my back -- whether we ever work together again, she is on my side always, and she knows I'm [on] her's."
As McEntire's response confirmed, the feeling is certainly mutual. "I love Melissa. We gelled really quickly during the Reba show and went on vacations and I remember when she told me she was pregnant with Riley... She's one of my best friends I just will always love her forever and ever."
Quipped the Voice coach, "She wouldn't be the one that you would call to bail you out of jail. She'd be the one sitting right next to you... She'd say, 'Wasn't that fun? Let's do that again some other time and not get caught.'"
The Voice airs Mondays and Tuesdays on NBC.
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