Following ABC's cancellation of "Nashville," CMT came in to renew the series for its fifth season. As the show returns for season 5, Hayden Panettiere and Connie Britton will reprise their roles as Juliette Barnes and Rayna Jaymes.

On the other hand, a report by TV Line claims that Will Chase and Aubrey Peeples will no longer return in season 5. The two have reportedly been fired as writers could not find a good storyline for their characters. However, it has yet to be confirmed if the two characters will totally disappear from the show or if they will only be relegated as recurring roles.

"Nashville" season 5 will have 22 episodes and will feature familiar faces such as Jonathan Jackson, Chris Carmack, Charles Esten, Sam Palladio, Lennon Stella, Clare Bowen and Maisy Stella. According to Kevin Beggs of Lionsgate TV, the production is currently looking at "long-term deals with the cast."

In the season 4 finale, Avery was shown waiting at the airport for Juliette. She was informed that Juliette went missing as the plane she was boarding was nowhere to be found. Fans have yet to find out in season 5 how the scriptwriters will give a sound explanation for her disappearance. Juliette certainly did not die as she is expected to play a big role in the upcoming season.

Directed by Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz, "Nashville" season 5 is expected to tackle the challenges faced by country music stars with streaming sites nowadays. CMT has yet to announce its premiere date.