ABC buys Reba McEntire comedy

ABC has bought a put-pilot script with Reba McEntire attached to star. "Malibu Country" will be written by Kevin Abbott, who was executive producer on McEntire's previous TV effort, the WB sitcom "Reba," which ran for four seasons beginning in 2002. Abbott will executive produce with McEntire; her manager, Narvel Blackstock; Mindy Schultheis and Michael Hanel of Acme Prods., Pam Williams of Laura Ziskin Prods., and veteran musician Dave Stewart. "Malibu" is a multi-camera comedy in which McEntire's character divorces her "good ol boy" rock-star husband after he cheats on her and burns through most of their money. She moves her family from Nashville to the only asset she has left-- a little house in Malibu. There she'll try to reignite her own singing career and keep herself and her three kids from being corrupted by the materialistic and rarified Malibu world she now calls home. Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com