After five decades in the entertainment industry, country music queen Reba McEntire says retirement is the furthest thing from her mind. The “I’m a Survivor” singer is still going strong at 70, currently starring on NBC’s The Voice and Happy’s Place. And in December, she will help viewers across the nation ring in the holiday season when she hosts the beloved Christmas in Rockefeller Center special from New York City.
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Reba McEntire Is Hosting For the First Time
Every December, New York City heralds a new holiday season with its annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony. The towering Norway spruce has ushered in the Yuletide each year since 1933. And since 1997, the lighting has been broadcast live, to hundreds of millions of people, on NBC’s Christmas in Rockefeller Center special.
This year, Reba McEntire will head up the ceremony for the first time on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. Eastern. In addition to hosting duties, the country music legend is also one of the artists set to perform throughout the evening, with more performers to be announced at a later date.
In a joint social media post, NBC and Reba broke the news to viewers Thursday (Oct. 23) with a special video. In it, the former Entertainer of the Year brandishes a strand of holiday lights and lip syncs to a snippet of Mariah Carey’s famous “It’s time!” holiday announcement
“I’m really excited to get to go to New York City in December. I’ve never been there in December,” Reba told People magazine. “To see all the Christmas decorations and to get to be a part of the tree lighting ceremony, Rockefeller Center, it’s something that I’ve always wanted to do and I’m honored that they asked me to do it.”
Hilariously, the Oklahoman is already bracing for NYC’s famously frigid winters. “I’m going to triple, quadruple layer. I’ll probably have my heated vest on, and all the clothes I can, insulated underwear,” she said.
Kelly Clarkson Hosted Last Year
Reba McEntire is taking the mantle from Kelly Clarkson, who hosted the event in 2023 and 2024.
Like Reba, The American Idol champ pulled double duty, both hosting and performing. Other performers included the Backstreet Boys, Dan + Shay, Little Big Town, Jennifer Hudson, and more.
Featured image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images
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