Jennifer Nettles served as host of Farmer Wants a Wife for its first two seasons on Fox in 2023 and 2024. However, she will not be returning for Season 3 in March 2025.
While the show has nabbed an excellent replacement, there’s no doubt that Nettles will be missed. Scroll down for everything we know about her absence and who will be hosting instead.
Why did Jennifer Nettles leave Farmer Wants a Wife?
Nettles has not addressed her departure from the show, but she’s been keeping very busy over the past year. In April 2024, she and Kristian Bush reunited as Sugarland at the CMT Awards. The duo had been on a six-year hiatus at the time.
Four months later, they released their EP There Goes the Neighborhood, then promoted it on a joint tour with Little Big Town from October to December. Since Farmer Wants a Wife likely filmed at some point in 2024, production probably didn’t fit in with Nettles’ busy music schedule.
Nettles also has an acting career to focus on. She plays Aimee-Leigh Gemstone on The Righteous Gemstones, and later this year, she’ll return to the stage as the star of Giulia: The Poison Queen of Palermo, which she wrote the book and score for. The show will run November 25-December 21, but Nettles has been hard at work writing the show for quite some time.
Who is replacing Jennifer Nettles on Farmer Wants a Wife?
Kimberly Williams-Paisley is the new Farmer Wants a Wife host. The casting news was announced in December 2024.
“I enjoyed being myself in this show, which was a new experience for me with my first unscripted series,” the actress shared. “Because I’m a city girl who embraced the country life when I married my husband [Brad Paisley] 21 years ago, I related to the allure of a farmer for these ladies. I really appreciate how dedicated this show and its producers are in helping these hopeful farmers and women find love.”
Farmer Wants a Wife, Season 3 Premiere, Thursday, March 20, 9/8c, Fox