CBS is gearing up for the October 19 premiere of The Road, a new country music competition series produced by Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan.
Hosted by Keith Urban and Blake Shelton, the show follows 12 aspiring musicians as they hit the road, competing for a $250,000 cash prize and a record deal.
Described by CBS as “an unfiltered backstage pass” into the life of touring artists, The Road will mix raw performances with behind-the-scenes drama as contestants travel across the U.S. with the country stars.
But even before its debut, the series has sparked controversy online. Fans of Urban flooded CBS’s social media with divided opinions. While some are eager for the fresh format and Urban–Shelton duo, others are calling for a boycott, citing Urban’s personal life.
Comments ranged from excitement—“This is going to be the best show of the year!”—to criticism: “Without Nicole I wouldn’t even know who Keith Urban is… No longer watching.”
The backlash intensified after Urban’s personal controversies became linked to the show’s promotion. Some fans accused the singer of “disrespecting his family” and threatened to turn away from CBS altogether.
Rumors About Maggie Baugh and Urban’s Marriage
At the heart of the backlash are swirling rumors about Urban’s alleged closeness to 25-year-old guitarist Maggie Baugh, who has toured with him since 2024.
Baugh, a Florida-born rising country star, gained fame through her viral TikTok series Finish the Lick (over 40 million views) and has shared stages with artists like Jake Owen and Josh Turner. In April, she performed alongside Urban in Las Vegas, where he changed the lyrics of his 2016 hit The Fighter—originally written for wife Nicole Kidman—into “Maggie, I’ll be your fighter.”
Fans quickly picked up on the moment, with clips circulating widely online. Many accused Urban of “rewriting his love song for another woman” while still married to Kidman.
Adding fuel to speculation, Kidman, 58, recently filed for divorce after 19 years of marriage. Though neither Urban nor Baugh has commented directly on the rumors, fans online claim the chemistry between them was “too obvious to ignore.”
Baugh has not addressed the speculation, focusing instead on her growing career, which includes viral videos, high-profile gigs, and international requests following her tours with Urban.
For now, CBS has remained silent on the matter, but industry insiders suggest the network is keeping a close watch on the public reaction. Whether The Road becomes a hit or is overshadowed by Urban’s personal life remains to be seen.
What is The Road about?
From executive producers Shelton, Sheridan, Lee Metzger, and David Glasser, the docu-follow format trails a headlining superstar (Urban) on their journey to discover the next big artist. Earlier this year, Urban headlined special performances at music venues across America with emerging talents serving as his opening act. Audience members at the special performances had the opportunity to decide which musicians will continue on to the next city.
“I spent a lot of my underage life playing in some seedy pubs, sometimes just for the bartender. So I love the idea of throwing artists into a real-world environment to find out if they are artists,” Urban said. “Paying your dues sucks, but there are things in this business that can’t be taught, like how to put together a set list, whether to extend or cut a song during your performance or how to work the crowd. For me, touring has always been my first love. It’s where the rubber meets the road. But it’s the only road to take if you want to be a performer.”
The Road is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, Glasser’s 101 Studios with Shelton and Metzger’s Lucky Horseshoe Productions. Sheridan and Glasser serve as executive producers. Shelton and Metzger serve as executive producers for Lucky Horseshoe Productions.
When does The Road premiere?
The singing competition series is set to premiere during the fall 2025 season. An exact release date will be announced at a later time, but CBS confirmed that it will air Sundays from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m.
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