The Kelly Clarkson Show is quickly approaching its end, as the Emmy-winning host announced in February that Season 7 would be its last. In fact, filming has actually already wrapped, with the pre-taped episodes set to run on the 2026 TV schedule into the fall. Kelly Clarkson has spoken candidly about her decision, and now one of her buddies is opening up about her post-show plans.

Lifestyle expert Lawrence Zarian is a regular fixture on The Kelly Clarkson Show, appearing in more than 140 episodes over the past seven years. He said this ending is “bittersweet” because it was such a good job, and everyone there had become a family. It seems appropriate, then, that family will be the focus of Kelly Clarkson’s life when the talk show’s over. Zarian told US Weekly:

Many fans were shocked to learn of Brandon Blackstock’s death back in August 2025, which followed a long, private battle with cancer. He was 48. It immediately became clear that the show tapings Kelly Clarkson had missed and the concerts that were postponed were in order to help her two children — River 12 and Remington 10 — cope with their father’s illness and passing.

That, unsurprisingly, was at the center of the American Idol champ’s statement when she announced The Kelly Clarkson Show was coming to an end. She said:

As for that duet that Lawrence Zarian mentioned, he says we will get to see him sing alongside Kelly Clarkson before the lights go down on The Kelly Clarkson Show’s New York City production. The duo will sing “Suddenly Seymour” from Little Shop of Horrors in what the lifestyle guru called the “best moment of my life, truly.”

In addition to spending more time with her little ones, Kelly Clarkson — as promised in the statement above — is set to appear as a coach on The Voice for its milestone 30th season (her 11th on the show).

In the upcoming season, she’ll face off against OG coach Adam Levine in what will be his 19th competition, and Queen Latifah is joining The Voice with fellow first-timer Riley Green.

Last season we saw John Legend bring a couple of his kids to The Voice set, and I think it would be so cool to see River and Remy join Kelly Clarkson at work for some bonus time with mom. They’ve taken the stage during her Las Vegas residency, so who knows what could happen? The only problem is if her kids do come around, Clarkson might want to watch how much she trash-talks rookie Riley Green.

It’s good to hear that Kelly Clarkson’s pals are supportive of her ending her talk show, even under such bittersweet circumstances, and we’ll keep you posted about when The Kelly Clarkson Show’s finale will air. Check your local listings to see when to catch her each weekday until then.

There’s been a lot of hoopla surrounding the end of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, whose cancellation was announced last July, nearly a year before the host was sent moshing into the night last month following his final episode. Unfortunately, that’s not the only big talk show cancellation hitting the 2026 TV calendar, and while we’ve been paying so much attention to Stephen Colbert and the CBS of it all, The Kelly Clarkson Show has seemingly already taped its final episode.

Unlike The Late Show, which aired the same day it taped, The Kelly Clarkson Show records its episodes months in advance, so we’ve still got a while before we actually get to see the final episode on TV. Still, June 11 was reportedly the final day of physical production, as revealed by producer Bryce Mcleay, who posted a lengthy and emotional message on Instagram to commemorate the end, writing in part:

There was some confusion about when the final tape day was, as fans tried to get tickets to be in one of Kelly Clarkson’s final studio audiences. According to a discussion on Reddit, it appears the final episode with its host was taped on June 5, and guest hosts continued to film The Kelly Clarkson Show’s final episodes until June 11 (I'm assuming those guest-led episodes will still air before Clarkson's finale, despite being taped later).

According to fans and the ticket site 1iota, Joel McHale was scheduled for an interview on the morning of June 11, with Mario and Courtney Lopez serving as guest hosts for a taping that afternoon.

Other social media posts seemed to confirm that production on the popular daytime talk show ceased over a week ago, as stage manager Brendan Higgins reflected on how “badass” it’s been to be a part of The Kelly Clarkson Show. Longtime contributors Emily Kaufman (aka The Travel Mom) and lifestyle expert Lawrence Zarian also seem to have made their final appearances, each posting their own memories.

The Kelly Clarkson Show is coming to an end after seven seasons and multiple Daytime Emmy Awards. Kelly Clarkson announced the news about a year after the host missed several tapings without explanation and rumors that she wanted to leave TV. Her absences were explained in August 2025, when her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock died after a long, private battle with cancer.

However, the rumors about Kelly Clarkson wanting to end the show persisted, and sure enough, the host confirmed that she had to step away from the talk show’s grueling schedule in order to be there for her two young kids who had just lost their father.

The Kelly Clarkson Show’s final tape day may have passed us by, but the big emotional goodbyes are yet to come when the finale airs later this year, likely in September, though no official date has yet been announced. Until then, check your local listings to see when the final season’s episodes air in your area.

When Kelly Clarkson first joined the daytime TV sphere, I was surprised but, after over a thousand episodes of her eponymous talk show, it’s now difficult to imagine her not being apart of it. Back in February, the singer announced that The Kelly Clarkson Show would officially end after seven seasons and, like some viewers, I'm emotional about that conclusion. And even the actors appearing on Clarkson's remaining episodes are feeling it. Recently, Rita Wilson stopped by the show to discuss touring, and she gave Clarkson well-earned flowers ahead of her farewell.

It's been difficult processing the fact that Clarkson's show will wrap up its seven-season run this fall as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Still, Wilson said everything fans may have been thinking when she detoured into her emotional tribute, which left Clarkson in tears. Check out the sweet moment below:

Cue all of the "awwws." Wilson's sentiments are truly lovely and beautifully sum up a good deal of Clarkson's legacy:

I can easily imagine some audience members possibly needing tissues after those sentiments were shared. At this point, much has been said about the daytime program's conclusion, with some believing Clarkson quit her talk show. However, she assured her fans that that the case. The decision came months after her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock’s, passing, which prompted the singer to think about her priorities and what she needs to pull back on.

The "Behind These Hazel Eyes" singer is known for her bubbly personality and quirky humor, which has arguably made The Kelly Clarkson Show a delightful watch since its debut in 2019. Clarkson's interview with Wilson is so wonderfully on brand, as she pivoted from listing tour essentials to promoting Thieves lozenges that she swears by. The way the host talks about them not only makes me want to try one, but reminds me of what daytime TV is going to be missing. She described:

Despite Clarkson's decision to leave her show, fans shouldn’t expect Clarkson to retire from the entertainment industry for good. She already has plans for what she really wants to do moving forward. Sadly, while that doesn’t include hosting (for now), the singer intends to step back into doing more live performances. As a longtime “Breakaway” fan, I’m excited about the prospect of her getting back to writing and performing music.

More recently, fans also got to enjoy watching Clarkson talk smack with the other coaches on The Voice’s season 29. The season may have ended but, thankfully, NBC has already announced that Clarkson will return for Season 30, along with Queen Latifah, Riley Green and Adam Levine.

As for The Kelly Clarkson Show, though, viewers should do their best to enjoy the final stretch of episodes ahead of the finale this fall. I also have a strong feeling that, before the show is done, other guests will be paying sweet tribute to Clarkson as Rita Wilson has. Check your local listings to see when the show airs in your area.

Dutton Ranch has brought jaw-dropping ratings to Paramount since its premiere on the 2026 TV schedule, thanks in large part to Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser, who star as Yellowstone fan favorites Beth and Rip. The spinoff takes the couple down to Texas, where they’ve got new faces to contend with, as well as some new critters. Rattlesnakes have apparently been an issue on the Dutton Ranch set, and even as someone who lives in Texas, I am horrified at just how many the crew caught during filming.

If you live in the more rural areas of Texas like Fort Worth, as I do, you simply can’t avoid encountering snakes. Thankfully, my experiences have only involved small, nonthreatening one so far; however, the Dutton Ranch crew, who filmed in areas around Fort Worth, wasn’t so lucky. Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly visited The Kelly Clarkson Show, where Hauser told the host:

Abso. Lutely. Not. I think I’d be pulling some kind of, “I cannot work under these conditions,” and sitting my butt in a trailer. Now, Kelly Clarkson is one of many celebrities from Texas, so maybe there’s a chance she’d have been OK in such circumstances. Kelly Reilly, not so much.

But if you think a few thousand snakes are going to keep Beth Dutton from finishing a job, you don’t know Beth Dutton. Kelly Reilly gave her perspective of what it was like filming those outdoor scenes, saying:

She also clarified that the snakes were not harmed when they were caught — just moved very far away from where the actors were working.

Cole Hauser had a particularly harrowing experience one night, as he told the audience:

What’s more frightening — the train station or 50 rattlesnakes? I hope I never have to make that choice.

Dutton Ranch, which can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription, seems to be a hit so far, with its premiere grabbing 12.9 million viewers in its first seven days in release, according to Paramount. Cole Hauser showed his appreciation for fans who remained interested in Beth and Rip’s story, as they meet new characters in a new land. Annette Bening and Ed Harris co-star in Dutton Ranch’s first season, along with Juan Pablo Raba as a very Jamie Dutton-like Joaquin.

Join the actors down on the Texas farm for all of the Dutton Ranch fun, with new episodes at 8 p.m. ET each Friday on Paramount Network and streaming on Paramount+. Just be sure to watch out for snakes.

The Voice will hit a big benchmark when it returns to the 2026 TV schedule this fall, gearing up to crown its 30th champion since debuting 15 years ago. Anyone who’s tuned into NBC’s singing competition knows how important The Voice’s superstar coaches are to the show’s success, because when their competitive juices start to flow, so does the smack talk. Apparently they don’t always wait for the cameras to start rolling, either, because incoming rookie Riley Green revealed that Kelly Clarkson has already sniffed out that fresh meat.

One aspect of The Voice that’s contributed to its success is the fact that each season is really two competitions in one — there’s the singing competition that aims to launch an artist into the industry and then there's the battle amongst the coaches to have that person be their team member. Rising country music star Riley Green is set to take his place in the Big Red Chair for the first time in Season 30, and he told E! News ahead of the AMAs how Kelly Clarkson is welcoming him to the family:

It is absolutely wild that Kelly Clarkson is putting newbie Riley Green in his place before production even starts on The Voice Season 30. Knowing how competitive she gets, it’s not exactly a surprise, though, and I have to say, I absolutely love it.

The “Worst Way” singer said that while he hasn’t gotten much facetime with his fellow Season 30 coaches Adam Levine, Kelly Clarkson or Queen Latifah yet, he’s excited about the idea of their rapport developing in real time in front of the camera. I agree that will be fun to watch — but I stand by concerns that the trio of music industry veterans might just eat Riley Green’s lunch. At least Clarkson showing her competitive edge early gives the Marshals actor a hint of what to expect, as he said:

You can say that again! In Kelly Clarkson’s 10 seasons, she’s taken 4 artists to the end. That’s the same number of victories as OG coach Adam Levine, except it took him 19 seasons to accomplish it.

The “Since U Been Gone” singer proved how ruthless she is during Season 29’s Battle of Champions, winning both the Triple Turn Competition and the All-Star Showdown that brought back the coaches’ past team members. She wasn’t able to get the crown in the end, though, as Adam Levine team member Alexia Jayy took top honors.

So Kelly Clarkson can be beaten, but it sounds like she’s definitely going to make Riley Green work for it. The Voice Season 30 will premiere in September on NBC, with episodes available to stream the next day with a Peacock subscription.

Kelly Clarkson may be one of the most renowned singers of our day — with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, her own eponymous talk show and multiple wins as a coach on The Voice to boot — but to her two children, River (11) and Remington (10) — she’s a mother first. However, the same can’t be said for her kids’ friends. Clarkson got real about one hilarious side effect of being as famous as she is, and it’s certainly something I’ve never thought about.

The American Idol champ may be “Mom” to her two little ones, but to their friends, she’s still the ridiculously famous singer of hits like “Since U Been Gone” and “Behind These Hazel Eyes.” As such, they apparently refer to her as any normal person would when addressing a celebrity of her caliber. She said on The Kelly Clarkson Show (via US Weekly):

I’m glad she finds humor in the situation, because it’s actually so adorable to think of tweens just constantly full-naming Kelly Clarkson. I can’t blame them, because I’d do the same thing!

There’s certainly an adjustment period when people stop calling you by your name, and you have to accept the fact that your identity is now being someone’s mom. Living in Texas — Kelly Clarkson’s home state — I also get a lot of “Miss” and “Ma’am,” which is fine because it’s not “Hey,” or “Bruh,” and I don’t expect them all to learn my name.

However, everybody knows Kelly Clarkson’s name, and wouldn't it be so weird to call her “Miss Kelly” or “River’s mom”? She’s won three Grammys for godsakes!

Even Jenna Bush Hager — who was Kelly Clarkson’s guest — admitted she wouldn’t be able to call the singer anything but her full name, saying:

The Today with Jenna & Sheinelle host said she didn’t have the same issue using first names for her colleagues like Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie, but they’re such a family over there at the NBC morning show that that’s not really a surprise.

It’s possible that River and Remington’s friends might be seeing more of Kelly Clarkson soon, as the host is ending The Kelly Clarkson Show at the end of its seventh season. She admitted that she needed to take some things off of her plate in order to be there for her children, especially in the wake of their father Brandon Blackstock’s death last August.

I think it’s a great move for her family, but I doubt it’s going to make a difference in how her kids’ friends refer to her. You can still catch The Kelly Clarkson Show on weekdays on NBC through the fall (check your local listings), and she’ll be back on The Voice for its milestone 30th season, which will premiere on the 2026 TV schedule in September.

The Voice is celebrating its milestone 30th season this fall, and it’s certainly bringing the star power to the 2026 TV schedule. As I suspected, rumors of Blake Shelton’s potential return were greatly exaggerated, but I’m definitely not disappointed in the coaching lineup that NBC has assembled. Queen Latifah is set to join The Voice family alongside the previously announced Adam Levine, Kelly Clarkson and newcomer Riley Green, and I have to admit I’m a bit concerned about the country music artist.

The Voice prides itself on finding superstar talent to lead each season’s group of contestants, and Queen Latifah is unequivocally that. Not only does she have a music career dating back over three decades (earning her a Grammy and myriad other awards), she’s an actress who’s won an Emmy and a Golden Globe and been nominated for an Oscar.

I can’t wait to see how her experience and expertise informs her mentoring strategy, because while she’s never coached on The Voice before, Queen Latifah has been a guest judge on America’s Got Talent, sang at the Super Bowl and hosted numerous awards shows and her own talk show (Carson Daly better watch out!).

That’s obviously a lot more entertainment experience than Riley Green has accumulated, and I’m really interested to see how he plays that on The Voice Season 30.

That’s not to downplay the achievements the country singer has see in his comparatively short career. Riley Green hasn’t coached before, but he performed in The Voice finales for Seasons 26 and 28. He’s won numerous ACM and CMA Awards since releasing his debut studio album in 2019 and has hits with artists like Thomas Rhett and Luke Combs.

He also recently made his acting debut on the CBS series Marshals (streaming with a Paramount+ subscription), so clearly he’s qualified to coach entertainment industry hopefuls.

Riley Green also played college football, so we're probably looking at a strong competitive spirit. I also admit how naive it would be of me to underestimate how well any country music artist can do on The Voice. However, not only is Riley Green going up against Queen Latifah, he’s got to face two of the competition’s most venerated coaches.

Season 30 will be Adam Levine’s 19th time on The Voice, which is more than any coach other than Blake Shelton (23). He and Kelly Clarkson each have 4 wins — the most of any coach other than Shelton (9). Clarkson’s reign is all the more impressive because those victories came in just 10 seasons, giving her an impressive 40% win percentage.

I love that Adam Levine and Kelly Clarkson are coming back, because they carry a legacy of winning, and I’m super pumped to see how Queen Latifah and Riley Green fit into the mix.

With this being the NBC singing competition’s 30th season, I’m sure Carson Daly’s got some twists up his sleeve, and the network has already teased special appearances from former coaches and mentors.

What we don’t yet know is the premiere date, but stay tuned, because we’ll definitely be on the lookout for The Voice Season 30 this fall on NBC and streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

We’re mere hours away from learning who will win The Voice Season 29 and which coach will claim bragging rights for the first-ever Battle of Champions. The Top 9 were cut down to the Top 4 in Monday’s Semifinals, and here, I’m taking a look at that quartet of artists who the studio audience voted through to the finale — which will air Tuesday on the 2026 TV schedule — and picking who I think should win The Voice Season 29.

The Battle of Champions has made a lot of changes to the competition we’ve grown so familiar with (like only having three coaches), and another big one is how the winner will be chosen. For the first time in The Voice’s history, there are no live episodes and no vote from America. I can’t say I love this twist as much as I like the reduction in coaches, but NBC doesn’t really make a habit of asking my opinion. Below, I'll break down the performances that earned these artists a spot in the Top 4 and give my pick for the winner.

SPOILER ALERT! From here on out, I will be discussing the four artists who were voted on to advance to the finale during Monday’s episode. If you haven’t seen the April 13 Semifinals, you can stream the episode with a Peacock subscription.

Team Adam’s Finalist: Alexia Jayy

Alexia Jayy, a 31-year-old singer from Alabama was the first artist voted through by a special studio audience composed of The Voice superfans and alumni, beating out her fellow members of Adam Levine’s team, Jeremy Keith and Jared Shoemaker. This may have only been the Semifinals, but she gave a finale-worthy performance of “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)” by Aretha Franklin, which you can see above.

The Voice coaches gave her glowing praise, with John Legend saying she exudes creativity and positive energy. Kelly Clarkson — who screamed throughout the performance but was crying by the end — lauded Alexia Jayy’s strength and femininity. Jayy’s coach just said she was “the best singer ever" and that he felt more like a fan than a mentor.

Team Legend’s Finalist: Lucas West

The audience was captivated by 21-year-old Lucas West’s rendition of Paul McCartney’s “Maybe I’m Amazed,” (above) which closed out the Semifinal performances Monday night. The New Yorker will represent John Legend in the finale, knocking out teammates KJ Willis and Syd Millevoi. The coaches called West the complete package, as he dazzled the room with both his piano skills and his voice.

Adam Levine called Lucas West “captivating,” and while Kelly Clarkson said she doesn’t like the lack of intimacy of stadium shows, she thinks West is the kind of artist who would totally crush in that type of venue. John Legend pointed out that his knack for tackling big songs by big artists signalled strong songwriting acumen, and he can’t wait to see some original material.

Team Kelly’s First Finalist: Liv Ciara

Liv Ciara may not have turned a chair in Season 28, but she is making Season 29 her own. The 16-year-old from Missouri produced her own version of Irene Cara’s “Flashdance… What a Feeling,” starting out a capella but building up to those huge runs that you crave in singing competition finales. (You’ll want to watch the above video.) The crowd went absolutely nuts, and Adam Levine said he was sad that she wasn’t on his team:

Kelly Clarkson said a fire’s been lit under Liv Cara, and she’s hungry for the win. Don’t sleep on this one when it’s all on the line in Tuesday’s finale.

Team Kelly’s Second Finalist: Mikenley Brown

Because Kelly Clarkson’s past champions won the All-Star Showdown, she earned a second spot in the finale, which went to Mikenley Brown, the 19-year-old from Indiana. Brown has been an inspiration throughout the competition, and on this night she became a real competitor. Brown sang “I’m Not the Only One” by Sam Smith, and John Legend and Adam Levine said this performance demanded that people take notice of her.

Her coach agreed, as Kelly Clarkson said believability is key with Mikenley Brown. Lots of people can sing a great song, the American Idol alum said, but she buys what Brown is selling. It’s been a joy to watch Brown this season as she spoke out about not letting anyone else tell you who you are. Her song choices spoke to her message all season, from Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” to Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club.” Check out her Semifinal performance above.

With Liv Ciara and Mikenley Brown representing Kelly Clarkson in the Season 29 finale, that meant the end of the road for her third semifinalist, country music artist JW Griffin.

Who I Think Should Win, Based On The Semifinals? Alexia Jayy

I’ll admit, I’ve got a soft spot for the blues, so Alexia Jayy’s Semifinal performance was right up my alley. She had the gritty scream, the super low notes and just so much power. I loved her set that had the band circled around her like the queen she is.

This performance was the latest in a season that saw her crush “You Give Good Love” by Whitney Houston and another Aretha song — "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” which earned her a Triple Turn in the Blind Auditions. Alexia Jayy hasn’t fumbled, and while she’s still got some performing to do Tuesday, she’s my choice to win going into the final night.

With a whole episode of finale performances to go, the competition is still anyone’s for the taking. The special studio audience will again vote after these four take the stage, and a winner will be announced by the end of the episode. Tune in to see who wins over the superfans and Voice alumni, starting at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday, April 14, on NBC and streaming the next day on Peacock.

A winner will be announced this week on The Voice, as Season 29’s “Battle of Champions” will be decided in back-to-back slots on the 2026 TV schedule. The end of the Knockouts last week solidified the final nine contestants who will compete for the audience’s vote (not America’s vote) in Monday’s Semifinals, and I’m surprised that both Kelly Clarkson and John Legend made the same candid confession about their final three.

This season’s three coaches — Kelly Clarkson, John Legend and Adam Levine — are each taking a trio of artists into the April 13 episode, and if you’re surprised to see KJ Willis, Syd Millevoi and Lucas West leading the way for Team Legend, well, that makes one of you. The EGOT winner admitted his Top 3 hasn’t changed since the Blind Auditions, telling People:

Strangely enough, Kelly Clarkson said the same thing about JW Griffin, Liv Ciara and Mikenley Brown, as she said to People:

My feelings about these candid confessions are mixed. While this definitely speaks to the strength of the semifinalists, I also feel a bit disheartened for the singers who lost in the Battle and Knockout rounds. How much of a chance did they have to change their coaches’ minds — particularly since, as she pointed out, Kelly Clarkson missed some rehearsal days?

The Voice coaches have discussed in the past how they try not to play favorites and let the performances determine who wins each dual. But, when you’ve got two of three coaches of The Voice saying that their favorites on Day 1 are still their favorites going into the penultimate episode, it just gives me a moment of pause.

That’s not to take away from the semifinalists, though, because they are phenomenal. I really don’t begrudge Kelly Clarkson or John Legend for sticking with these artists. As Legend said about his trio:

Kelly Clarkson spoke to the “raw soul” that she hears in each of her team members. When you’re listening to their music, she said:

I’m excited for the two nights of musical storytelling that are coming our way. The Top 9 will compete at 9 p.m. ET Monday, April 13 in the Semifinals, with the Top 4 (one each from Adam Levine and John Legend’s teams and two from Kelly Clarkson’s as she won the All-Star Showdown) competing in the Season 29 Finale at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday, April 14.

For the first time in The Voice’s history, there will be no live episodes. The Semifinals and Finale were pre-recorded, with the winner decided by a studio audience of alumni and superfans. The results will be announced at the end of Tuesday’s episode.

Spoiler alert! Minor spoilers ahead for The Voice Season 29 Knockouts that aired April 6. The episode is now available to stream with a Peacock subscription.

The Voice “Battle of Champions” is down to its Top 9, with each of Season 29’s trio of coaches finalizing their teams of three in the Knockout round. After the contestants’ final head-to-head performances, the show did something it had never done before — it welcomed back past winners to compete in the inaugural All-Star Showdown, and one performance was so emotional that Kelly Clarkson was brought to tears.

Five champions from The Voice’s past and one former finalist took the stage for a special in-season competition that aired Monday on the 2026 TV schedule. It was actually wonderful to see so many familiar faces perform on The Voice stage again, but for Kelly Clarkson, hearing Season 17 winner Jake Hoot’s cover of “Desperado” caused a strong emotional reaction. She told him:

Others in the studio were clearly moved by Kelly Clarkson’s words, including Girl Named Tom’s Bekah Grace Liechty, who was also seen wiping away tears. You can see Jake Hoot’s moving performance below:

In addition to Jake Hoot, Kelly Clarkson welcomed back Girl Named Tom — the first (and so far only) group to ever win The Voice — while Adam Levine brought back the very first Voice champion, Javier Colon, as well as Jordan Smith. John Legend invited his sole winner, Maelyn Jarmon, and Season 25 finalist Renzo, and I’d have to agree with Clarkson that there was something special about hearing them all sing again.

As some of The Voice coaches said, I’d forgotten just how good these singers were, so it was good to be reminded. I also wasn’t aware of some of the success these artists have seen post-show, including Javier Colon winning a regional Emmy in 2025 for his musical tribute to frontline workers and Jordan Smith co-writing the song “Ashes” that Celine Dion recorded for the Deadpool 2 soundtrack.

Overall, though, the All-Star Showdown was all about the emotion that music evokes, and I certainly can’t blame Kelly Clarkson for shedding a few tears. This season was likely not an easy one for the American Idol champ to get through, as she was dealing with the illness and ultimate death of her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock. Her absence reportedly caused some “crucial” parts of the season to be delayed, and Jennifer Hudson was called to fill in for her in Battle rehearsals.

As far as the competition goes, though, things are still going Kelly Clarkson’s way. After she won The Voice’s inaugural Triple Turn Competition, her team was also declared the winner of the All-Star Showdown, meaning she’ll take an extra artist into next week’s finals.

Tune in at 9 p.m. ET Monday and Tuesday, April 13 and 14, for The Voice Season 29 Semifinals and Finals on back-to-back nights on NBC.

The competition is fierce on The Voice, of which the 29th season is airing on the 2026 TV schedule. Kelly Clarkson, John Legend and Adam Levine are engaged in the “Battle of Champions,” as all three of the Voice coaches have previously won the show. Whoever takes the W this season will have huge bragging rights, but as Clarkson looked back at her very first win, it sounds like nothing could beat getting “the ultimate revenge” on Blake Shelton.

It doesn’t matter how long Blake Shelton has been gone from The Voice, his spirit lingers. The cowboy had a reputation for winning all of the country music artists and then rubbing it in his colleagues’ faces as he racked up nine wins over 23 seasons. That means he bumped heads a lot with Kelly Clarkson. Just recently, the current coach took a look back at her biggest moments recently, and when she happened upon a photo of Brynn Cartelli from Season 14, she said:

Clarkson winning The Voice with Brynn Cartelli was quite the unforgettable experience, but that’s thanks in part to Shelton. The trolling came early and often from the country music superstar, who set the tone for what would be one of the show’s greatest rivalries by saying on Clarkson’s first episode:

Blake Shelton continued to make a point over the years to downplay Kelly Clarkson’s country music experience — much in the same way that John Legend and Reba McEntire did her dirty on the current season — and that’s what made her Season 14 victory oh-so-sweet. Clarkson said:

The American Idol champ expressed a similar sentiment when recalling her Season 17 win with Jake Hoot, saying:

Say what you will about Blake Shelton's trolling of his fellow Voice coaches, but there’s something to be said for his tactics when even in the sixth season since he walked away from the Big Red Chair, Kelly Clarkson and other mentors continue to hold their victories over him as the highest honor they’ve achieved on the show.

Blake Shelton may not be around anymore, but tune in to see who will win the “Battle of Champions,” as Season 29 continues at 9 p.m. ET Mondays on NBC and streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

The Voice’s revamped 29th season is flying by — much like Jennifer Hudson’s shoes — as the Battle round has wrapped, leaving this season’s three coaches with just six team members apiece. The so-called “Battle of Champions” has been full of surprises, and J-Hud’s return was one of the latest. After watching her fill in for Kelly Clarkson, I’m now desperate for a season that features all coaches who came to fame through reality competitions.

I Loved The Advice Jennifer Hudson Had For Team Kelly

It was previously reported that Kelly Clarkson had missed some filming days for The Voice Season 29 after the death of her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock. However, it was only when the Battles began that we learned Jennifer Hudson was returning to pull double duty as Team Kelly’s Battle Advisor and coach during rehearsals.

J-Hud was previously a coach on The Voice in Seasons 13 and 15 and a Mega Mentor on Season 26, and while we all remember her penchant for throwing shoes, I’d forgotten how strong those competitive juices flow. It should come as no surprise, of course, from someone who took a seventh-place finish on American Idol and became an EGOT winner with her own talk show (complete with that viral Spirit Tunnel).

Where The Voice’s other coaches encourage their Battle contestants to forget about the competition and focus on chemistry with their duet partner, Jennifer Hudson went in the opposite direction, reminding Kelly Clarkson’s artists they were vying for the same spot. As she told Drew Russell and Jared Shoemaker in the March 23 episode (streaming with a Peacock subscription):

Her unique perspective coming from a talent competition makes me want to see how her strategies would play out against Kelly Clarkson and other artists who have found fame on American Idol and other talent shows.

I Want To See A Full Coaching Panel Of Former Competition Stars

Artists like Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Hudson bring such gravitas to The Voice because they’ve been through this. It’s why Carrie Underwood returning to American Idol as a judge was such a big deal. It’s why Clarkson and John Legend butted heads earlier this season over song choice. Now I’m so curious to see what four former competition stars would do if pitted against each other.

Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson and Niall Horan — whose former band One Direction was formed on The X Factor in 2010 — would be obvious options, with all of them having coached on The Voice before.

There are endless options for a fourth, including Cassadee Pope or another past winner of The Voice. I’d love to see Adam Lambert (American Idol Season 8 runner-up) or Kelly Rowland (who competed on Star Search), and if The Voice weren’t so entwined with Blake Shelton, his ex-wife Miranda Lambert, who came in third on Nashville Star in 2003, would be an option.

Or maybe The Voice would stick to its 3-chair format. However they’d choose to do it would be fine with me. I was just delighted to hear Jennifer Hudson offering some different advice during the Battle round, and I think it would be a treat to see her face off against Kelly Clarkson and others who have been through a similar experience.

See how The Voice Season 29 plays out, with new episodes airing at 9 p.m. ET Mondays on NBC and streaming the next day on Peacock.

The Kelly Clarkson Show is ending after seven years, and Clarkson's decision to exit her series is just as hard as it is for NBC to decide who will replace her. While the network is going over a list of who could potentially replace the music superstar turned talk show host, two interesting names surfaced that I'd 100% be on board with.

The Traitors Season 4 might've been light on strategic gameplay, but the drama was great. It's no surprise, then, that NBC is eyeing two of its stars to serve as the next big hosts of daytime television, and I think ice skating fans will be thrilled to see Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski back together again.

Johnny Weir And Tara Lipinski Eyed To Replace The Kelly Clarkson Show

Radar Online reports that talks are happening to get Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski together to host a daytime talk show meant to replace The Kelly Clarkson Show. The gist from insiders is that Weir and Lipinski are a proven duo who understand what makes good television, and they're good at what they do. In addition to their recent appearance on The Traitors, they've been commentators for ice skating during the Winter Olympics for over a decade.

And while Johnny Weir said celebrities may not be their target demographic after no one clocked their friendship on The Traitors, both he and Tara Lipinski are reportedly well-liked amongst the demo that follows daytime television. No solid deal is in place, but given the praise, don't be surprised if we get a new show announced with this duo soon.

Another Famous Name Is Allegedly Being Considered As Well

Nothing is for sure when it comes to who is replacing Kelly Clarkson just yet, and other names beyond Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski are being considered as well. Pink was recently reported as another name in the mix, and she's filling in for the singer currently.

It's hard to say with certainty which way NBC's executives are leaning, because those are two entirely different picks for the job. If I had to speculate, Pink would land the role if the intention is to continue a format similar to The Kelly Clarkson Show, and based on her guest-hosting stents so far, she seems to do well enough in the role.

Bringing in Weir and Lipinski feels like it would be a new show entirely, perhaps something closer to Live with Kelly and Mark. Who knows, there may even be another show and celebrity in the mix being considered as well. Honestly, I'm not sure who would be a better option given the rumored options so far, so I don't envy the people who ultimately have to make that decision!

The Kelly Clarkson Show currently airs on weekdays, and will continue new episodes through the fall of 2026 TV schedule. Perhaps by then, we'll learn what the plan is for the show's future, and who the next big names of daytime talk show will be.

It’s pretty wild to see how much of a difference one chair makes (even if that chair is a Big Red one), as The Voice has downsized to just three coaches for Season 29. Adam Levine, Kelly Clarkson and John Legend have been duking it out on the singing competition’s first all-champion panel, but how do they feel about losing their fourth? The Maroon 5 frontman actually loves it, and I’m surprised that I agree with him.

There were a lot of unknowns before The Voice Season 29 premiered on the 2026 TV schedule, with host Carson Daly promising plenty of all-new twists for the sports-themed “Battle of Champions.” Going from four coaches to three was arguably the biggest change though, and it’s one that has been fully embraced by Adam Levine, who told NBC:

Fans of The Voice know that Adam Levine loves to cause trouble, so it makes sense that he supports a change that makes it easier for him to banter with his fellow coaches of The Voice. He also said his familiarity with Kelly Clarkson and John Legend — who all appeared together on Season 16, along with Blake Shelton — forced him to get more creative in pitching himself to potential team members.

I have to say, I agree with him, and I wasn’t sure that would be the case. I was frankly confused by the Season 29 revamp and definitely not happy with the number of contestants being reduced to 30 (10 per coach), in comparison to the 48 or more we’ve seen in previous seasons.

However, just like taking the coach count down allows for a better rapport amongst them, I think giving more time to fewer artists has benefited Season 29 so far. For one thing, the coaches were super picky about which singers they turned for, creating some amazingly talented teams. In fact, Adam Levine called one Team Kelly battle from March 16 the “best Battle round in the history of the show.” (See that performance below.)

We’ve also been able to get to know the contestants better, with no performances being severely truncated in the interest of saving time. While I’d still like to see more than 30 artists on future seasons, I actually loved having fewer nights of Blind Auditions, because by the time we got to the Battles, I hadn’t completely forgotten the singers we met in the beginning.

I’m not sure the reduction to three Big Red Chairs is something we’ll see permanently, but I agree with Adam Levine that there are benefits to the format that could open up producers’ options going forward.

Tune in to see how the rest of Season 29 plays out, with new episodes airing at 9 p.m. ET Mondays on NBC and streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

Daytime television will be looking a little different in the near future on the 2026 TV schedule. Kelly Clarkson has decided to end her talk show to focus more on her family, while Fox has canceled Sherri. For Jennifer Hudson, though, her show is staying strong and was even recently renewed for a fifth season, securing The Jennifer Hudson Show’s future for at least another year. Now the EGOT winner is opening up about how it feels to be without her fellow talk show colleagues.

While it’s definitely an exciting time for Hudson knowing that her show is going to come back, it can probably be a conflicting time as well, knowing that two great talk show hosts aren’t going to come back. Hudson admitted to People just how she’s feeling about taking on the extra weight, though she hasn’t exactly thought about it too much just yet:

Despite the fact that the three of them were fighting for the same audience and were in a talk show competition, it’s nice to see Hudson being so supportive of Clarkson and Shepherd. They all know what it’s like to be on both sides of the couch, which is why it was so great to have them hosting their own talk shows. It will be weird when The Kelly Clarkson Show and Sherri eventually end, but Hudson seems ready to make them both proud.

When it was announced that The Kelly Clarkson Show would be ending, Hudson had the best take on it. She gave her fellow successful American Idol alum some well-wishes, telling her that she’s a GOAT. I wouldn’t be surprised if Clarkson ended up appearing on JHud’s show in the future, as well as Shepherd, and perhaps the only thing that would make those appearances better is if Hudson managed to get Clarkson and Shepherd on at the same time.

Meanwhile, Hudson is not the only one whose talk show is still going strong. It was actually just announced that The Drew Barrymore Show has been picked up for two additional seasons, per Variety, keeping the series on the air through at least 2028. So even with two daytime shows down for the count, there are still talk shows to look forward to that will surely keep fans happy.

Speaking of, check out a clip from one of this week's episodes, in which the host addresses the life lesson she keeps stumbling upon.

As of now, it’s unknown exactly when Sherri and The Kelly Clarkson Show will air their final episodes, but the longer fans wait, the longer they will be able to prepare their goodbyes. The final shows will definitely be emotional, but Shepherd and Clarkson are leaving daytime talk television in good hands, even if it wasn’t Shepherd’s own decision to make. Plus, with another season of The Jennifer Hudson Show and two of The Drew Barrymore Show on the way, there is going to be much more to look forward to.

Things have already gotten a bit fiery on The Voice’s revamped 29th season, especially between Kelly Clarkson and John Legend, as they — along with Adam Levine — compete to win the show’s first season with an all-champion coaching panel. First, Legend turned Reba McEntire against her own former daughter-in-law, and then things got really interesting during a strong debate over song choice strategy. In fact, their “fight” actually changed my opinion on how important coach selection is.

Don’t get me wrong, obviously some artists are going to gel better with specific coaches — it’s the main reason I’m glad they’ve done away with Blocks — but for the most part I’ve always thought that singers would benefit from the mentorship, regardless of which of The Voice coaches they landed with. I’m not so sure anymore. On the second night of auditions (airing March 2 on the 2026 TV schedule), Mike Steele earned that coveted Triple Turn, and the mentors went about trying to recruit him to their team.

John Legend started by asking what artists the 28-year-old Mississippi singer liked to cover, likely already forming a plan of which GIVĒON, Tyrese and Jodeci songs he could get for his potential team member. Kelly Clarkson, however, was concocting a different strategy, as she said:

John Legend clearly disagreed with this line of thinking, as he addressed the artist on stage:

Probably around this point, Adam Levine started attempting to remind Mike Steele that he also had turned his chair, and while he didn’t offer his own song choice strategy, he did offer him refuge from the drama, saying he hated it “when Mom and Dad fight.” But the debate continued:

• Kelly: I’m going to be honest with you. We’re so different, so everything he said, I would not do. So don’t choose me if that’s what you like. No, because here’s why. It’s because I went on a competition and sang Aretha Franklin almost every week, and then I made a pop-rock album. This is the time, I think, that you should stretch yourself a bit.
• John: But he’s doing it on national TV. This is his moment. This is his moment to tell people who he is.
• Kelly: I just think this is the moment that you are able to stretch and do things. So I don’t think you should pick me if that’s the route you want to go, because I am totally going to push you to pick things that are maybe outside of the box.

It got pretty intense, with Kelly Clarkson even reminding everyone that, hey, I won American Idol, remember? Thankfully, the tension didn’t last long, as they hugged it out and agreed they were done fighting.

Honestly I see both sides. I’m inclined to agree with John Legend, because if an artist only gets one or two weeks of national exposure, they can still start to grow a fanbase if they’ve more or less previewed the kind of album they’d want to make.

However, it’s also really hard to argue with somebody who not only has actually been through this process and achieved so much success in its aftermath, but also has taken more artists to The Voice finish line than her compatriots.

Either way, it’s really interesting to see how different coaches approach their artists’ journeys, and it proved just how important it is to choose the right coach. Mike Steele ended up going with John Legend, so he must have connected with the EGOT winner’s plan to take advantage of his moment. You can see Steele’s audition and the ensuing debate below:

Tune in to see how Mike Steele fares in the competition and which coach’s strategy pays off! The Voice Season 29 airs at 9 p.m. ET Mondays on NBC, streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

The Voice’s revamped Season 29 is underway, with some pretty major changes to the competition’s structure, including the impending return of some past fan favorites and only featuring three coaches this season. The Voice has leaned into Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine and John Legend not having a fourth superstar to compete against by initiating a new twist — the Triple Turn Competition — but I can’t help but think the prize is not significant enough to justify all of the hype.

Four Chair Turns have always been a big deal on The Voice, and that makes sense because of how often they produce the season’s eventual winner. The coaches wear it like a badge of honor when they’re able to convince an artist to join their team over the other three, so in that respect, I like the idea of attaching a prize to whoever can do it the most. However, they’re going way overboard in terms of how much of a difference this prize will make in the competition.

Let me break it down. When The Voice Season 29 Blind Auditions wrap (which will be the next episode to hit the 2026 TV schedule on March 9), whichever coach has won the most Three Chair Turns will earn a Super Steal for the Battles. That means they can immediately secure an eliminated artist from another team, bypassing any other coaches' steal attempts.

However, with just three coaches this season and no Saves, the mentor with the Super Steal will — at most — be going up against one other coach. So the big advantage is getting an artist that they already had a 50% chance at anyway. That’s kind of underwhelming, especially with all the hoopla surrounding the Triple Turn Competition.

Basically, all John Legend talked about on the March 2 episode was how determined he was to beat out Adam Levine and Kelly Clarkson on a Triple Turn. The Voice has even brought in comedian Druski and former NBA player Derek Fisher to remind us of where the coaches stand.

No shade to them at all, because they’re being asked to break down a very simple on-screen graphic that reads, “Adam Levine: 3, Kelly Clarkson: 2, John Legend: 1.” There’s literally not much to say other than, “Can Adam maintain the momentum?” and “John better step it up!” I see what the show is trying to do with the whole sports-themed season, but it’s just simply not worthy of such fanfare.

It would be different if there were still four coaches, and the Super Steal had the power to override two other coaches’ regular Steals. Also, if the Super Steal were given in addition to the competition winner’s regular Steal, thus adding a team member for that person to take into the Knockouts, that would be major.

As it is, though, the Triple Turn Competition is underwhelming with such low stakes that it’s increasingly bothersome how much emphasis is being put on it during the Blind Auditions. At least the first round of competition is almost over. Tune in to see how the teams fill out when The Voice continues at 9 p.m. ET Monday, March 9, on NBC and streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

The Kelly Clarkson Show is set to air its final episode on the 2026 TV schedule later this year, giving the eponymous host more time to focus on her children following the death of their father, Brandon Blackstock. Just because it was her decision to quit the show, however, doesn’t make it a whole lot easier, and Kelly Clarkson opened up recently about the stress that comes with “job loss.”

Kelly Clarkson got real about her decision to end her talk show after seven years while speaking on Sirius XM’s Morning Mashup, and, apparently, even being rich and famous doesn’t shield you from the pains of making such a huge change. She said (via ET):

Job loss is one of the most stressful things a person can go through in life, along with the death of a loved one and moving, so Kelly Clarkson and her two children — 11-year-old River and 9-year-old Remington — have had quite an eventful few years.

However, it’s not like the American Idol OG doesn’t know where her next paycheck is coming from. Kelly Clarkson said she’ll continue to do things she loves, like make music and perform, and she’ll likely continue to pop up as a coach on The Voice every once in a while. Not having to worry about finances takes away a good bit of the pressure that makes job loss so stressful to people, but she also pointed out that she had to consider what her decision meant for her talk show’s crew, who — let’s not forget — relocated from Los Angeles to New York less than three years ago.

It just all comes back to doing what’s best for her kids, and you’ve got to respect Kelly Clarkson putting motherhood above all of her other jobs and making sure she’s more present with them during this terrible time. She’s spoken a bit about how River and Remy are doing since Brandon Blackstock died in August after a long, private battle with cancer. Apparently, they’ve been getting lots of snuggle time in, as Clarkson has been letting them sleep in her bed.

As for what will happen to The Kelly Clarkson Show’s coveted timeslot, no official decision has yet been made. As rumors spread last year that Kelly Clarkson wanted to leave TV, Hoda Kotb’s name was said to be on a list of possible replacements, as she’d exited The Today Show months earlier. However, Kotb personally denied the reports, and that was long before she returned to NBC to fill in for Savannah Guthrie as she continues to deal with the disappearance of her 84-year-old mother.

The latest speculation is that P!nk may be tapped to fill Kelly Clarkson’s spot, as the “So What” singer will serve as a guest host on The Kelly Clarkson Show this week. It’s certainly possible that this is an audition of sorts to see if P!nk is a good fit to take over full time.

Check your local listings to see when The Kelly Clarkson Show airs in your area, not just for P!nk’s upcoming episodes but to see Kelly Clarkson’s final days during this stressful time.

At the top of February, we learned that The Kelly Clarkson Show is set to air its last episode during the 2026 TV schedule after seven years on NBC. The daytime talk show host called the move “not an easy decision” amidst the news, but the right call for her family right now in the wake of the death of her ex-husband and father of her two kids. Now, apparently, the network is already looking “hard” at Pink for her replacement.

Pink is set to temporarily replace Kelly Clarkson as the show’s host next week for a special round of episodes focused on Women’s History Month. And per TMZ, NBC is allegedly starting to consider the singer to take over The Kelly Clarkson Show slot. As one source said:

The report notes that the 46-year-old singer, who came up in music around the same time as Clarkson, has a ”natural and friendly” presence that makes her a good candidate to fill the void that Clarkson will leave on daytime television after her show ends this fall. The Kelly Clarkson Show staff is also apparently very into the prospect as well. As the source also claimed:

We’ll have to see how Pink does this upcoming week when she hosts The Kelly Clarkson Show. Perhaps her guest appearance is by design to audition for the next daytime talk show position, as is? Check out Kelly Clarkson introducing Pink ahead of passing the baton for the next week:

During the sweet moment, Pink commented that hosting the talk show is “way outside [her] wheelhouse” before Clarkson suggested the gig is “way outside” hers as well. Pink told the host she’s “freaking great at it” before moving to the side with a clipboard to take notes on how to follow Clarkson as her temporary replacement.

Time will tell how things shake out once The Kelly Clarkson Show concludes later this year, but if Pink is, in fact, being looked at, how cool is it that she’ll get a little tryout? It’ll be sad to see Clarkson’s show go, but it has been on the air since the fall of 2019, all the while she has been doing other gigs like The Voice, making two new albums, having a Las Vegas residency, and hosting a new show called Songs & Stories with Kelly Clarkson.

Following the announcement of her exit from The Kelly Clarkson Show, the singer and host has said the reason for her exit was that there was “just too much on the plate” for her, and “it’s time to kind of pull back.” Of course, we’ll be watching Pink’s stint on The Kelly Clarkson Show starting Monday, March 2, as these rumors swirl about her being her replacement.

The Voice is shaking things up for its 29^th season on the 2026 TV schedule, and the coaches are really looking to step it up. In the new season, dubbed Battle of Champions, veteran coaches Kelly Clarkson, John Legend and Adam Levine will be duking it out to see who's the best of the best among them. That (friendly) fight is already getting humorously brutal, as Clarkson is trolling her fellow co-mentors over how amount wins they currently have.

A recently posted Instagram reel from Billboard shows a behind-the-scenes peek at some promo for Season 29. The actual promo is meant to show Clarkson introducing a choir and joining them to sing “We Are the Champions.” Not surprisingly, in the BTS clip, the songstress made sure to say that some of the judges have been champions more often than others. Levine, in the background, was definitely not having it, and I just love this funny exchange between co-stars:

The Voice coaches have been on a roller coaster throughout the show’s run in terms of wins and, between the three for Season 29, they have a combined eight wins, including the very first win of the entire series. While it may not seem like much, out of 28 seasons and the occasional rotation of judges, that's pretty impressive. So, of course, Clarkson felt the need to brag that she has the most wins with four. That’s just one more than Levine, and I can only imagine how many times the famous famous American Idol alum has brought that up.

Arguably one of the best parts of The Voice, aside from the singers, is seeing the coaches trolling and shading one another. To be clear, it’s all in good fun, but it’s always hilarious seeing the kinds of quips the coaches will come up with to get under each other's skin. Bringing up how many wins they have and don’t have is certainly par for the course. And, since this is the Battle of Champions, it's easy to imagine that Clarkson will bring up her win tally more than once as she seeks to add to it.

On that note, Clarkson does have a slight advantage over her peers. While Levine won the first season of The Voice, Clarkson won the first season of American Idol and, whenever she’s on The Voice and trying to nab a singer, she makes sure to reiterate that she’s done a singing competition before and understands how to evaluate talent. Whether or not that success will continue into Season 29 is unclear.

The judge trolling will most certainly continue as Season 29 progresses, and I cannot wait to see what happens and who eventually comes out on top at the end of Battle of Champions. New episodes of The Voice air on Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

The Voice: Battle of Champions is underway on the 2026 TV schedule, with Season 29 featuring just three coaches. Kelly Clarkson may have thought she was only going up against Adam Levine and John Legend, but she got quite the shock when Reba McEntire made a surprise appearance in the premiere. The queen of country popped in with an interesting message for this season’s contestants, and I can’t even believe she did her former daughter-in-law so dirty.

With no country music coach like Blake Shelton or Reba McEntire on this season’s panel, Kelly Clarkson admitted that she felt entitled to country artists like 19-year-old Julia Golden, who impressed both Clarkson and John Legend with her rendition of “Strawberry Wine.” Legend may not be as closely associated with the genre as his Texas-native colleague, but he sure did have a secret weapon. None other than McEntire herself popped up on the screen to deliver the following video message:

The disrespect is astonishing. Not only are Kelly Clarkson and Reba McEntire longtime friends who have performed together multiple times, they are family, with Clarkson having been married to McEntire’s stepson Brandon Blackstock.

The American Idol champion seemed to have the same thoughts, as upon seeing her former mother-in-law on the screen, she stood up and shouted:

No offense to John Legend at all, because of course the EGOT winner could do extremely well with a country music artist, but I’m just not buying the fact that Reba McEntire would go against Kelly Clarkson like that. Even host Carson Daly seemed to be in disbelief, saying:

Believe me, I watched the video back a few times to see if it was, in fact, a deepfake, and I'm still not fully convinced. Speaking to its validity, though, was Kelly Clarkson then getting Reba McEntire on the phone. The “Fancy” singer answered, though she kept her video turned off as Clarkson literally screamed:

Reba McEntire can be heard over the speakerphone telling The Voice coach to “Calm down, girl!” and ultimately agreed that, yes, Kelly Clarkson would also be an excellent coach for a country music artist. They ended the call by exchanging “I love you”s, with Clarkson saying:

In the end, the big swing by John Legend and Reba McEntire didn’t pay off, as Julia Golden decided to go with Kelly Clarkson anyway. The artist was in tears for pretty much the entire ordeal, in tearful disbelief as she asked, “Is Reba on the phone?” You can see it all play out below:

Even if Kelly Clarkson wasn’t more than qualified to coach a country artist, I think having Reba McEntire on speed-dial was enough to win Julia over.

With no Blocks available to the coaches — and therefore no way to keep Kelly Clarkson from raking in country artists — I don’t blame John Legend for calling in a pro, and I can’t wait to see what other twists are to come in The Voice’s revamped 29th season. Tune in for new episodes at 9 p.m. ET Mondays on NBC and streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

When Kelly Clarkson confirmed that The Kelly Clarkson Show would end with its current season on the 2026 TV schedule, the reaction was swift. As part of that wave of responses, the internet did what it does best: it filled in the blanks. “She quit.” “The show got canceled.” “Something must’ve happened.” However, according to Clarkson herself, the reality is far less dramatic and more personal, and she wants fans to know that.

In a new Instagram reel shared by Today, Clarkson addressed the speculation head-on during an interview. She explained that the decision wasn’t about ratings, drama, or behind-the-scenes chaos. It was about life-shifting in ways that made her reassess what she could realistically juggle. As she put it:

So, for those curious, Clarkson isn’t disappearing, but reprioritizing. Between music projects, hosting gigs, and motherly responsibilities, she decided to lighten the load. The Grammy-winning singer plans to move on professionally (including coaching Season 29 of The Voice), but she’s not abandoning ship altogether.

What makes the situation a little more complicated is that, by all accounts, the talk show has been thriving. The Kelly Clarkson Show has consistently performed well in daytime ratings, earned multiple Emmys and built a loyal audience drawn to the American Idol alum’s candid charm and live “Kellyoke” performances, which is exactly why the choice wasn’t easy.

The chart-topping vocalist and her children, 11-year-old River and 9-year-old Remington, experienced the illness and death of her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, in 2025. The family tragedy understandably reshaped priorities. Clarkson has been open about wanting to be more present, especially during such a fragile season for her kids. She continued:

The “Since U Been Gone” singer has been open in recent years about navigating major life changes, including her divorce and the balancing act of single parenthood. It makes sense that her priorities would shift. There’s also a broader cultural layer here. In an industry that often celebrates overextension as ambition, the daytime TV personality openly acknowledging “there’s just too much on the plate” is a refreshing boundary.

So, for longtime viewers, the takeaway isn’t that Clarkson walked away from something failing. It’s that she stepped back from something successful because her family needed more of her time. Also, of course, she’s still working — just not at the same relentless pace.

At the end of the day, Kelly Clarkson is a superstar, but also a mom who recognizes her limits and is choosing to be present where she’s needed most. If pulling back means more late-night snuggles, more conversations, and more time with River and Remington, that sounds like a win. And, from all accounts, that's exactly what she's most excited for as her show wraps its run later this year.

The Voice’s revamped 29th season is finally upon us, and some big changes are coming with the return of NBC’s singing competition to the 2026 TV schedule. One of the biggest twists of the new season will be obvious from the start — for the first time in The Voice’s history, there are only three coaches instead of four. This major switchup confused me at first, but there’s a good reason for it, according to the showrunner.

Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine and John Legend will be Season 29’s coaching trio, making up The Voice’s first-ever all-champion panel. However, it’s not like those are the only three coaches to ever win the show (nobody’s forgetting Blake Shelton’s nine victories), so why the reduction? According to EP Audrey Morrissey, it has to do with NBC adding NBA games to its primetime lineup, which resulted in fewer episodes and therefore smaller teams.

In fact, the teams are so small, there aren’t really enough contestants to justify a fourth coach, the EP told Gold Derby:

That's not even to mention how this all affects Brilliant Minds.

The Voice Season 29 will feature 30 singers vying for The Voice glory, with John Legend, Kelly Clarkson and Adam Levine each leading a team of 10. Assuming that was the largest number of contestants the show could accommodate with its reduced episode count, that means adding a fourth coach would have led to teams of around 7, which I agree would be “ridiculous.”

As it is, 30 is already such a lower number than we’re used to. In Season 28, which saw Niall Horan’s team member Aiden Ross crowned the champion (leaving the One Directioner’s record on the show unblemished), there were 48 contestants chosen in Blind Auditions — 12 per team.

Season 27 also had 48, while Season 26 had a whopping 56-artist cast in 2024 — nearly double what we’re about to see this season.

There could be other factors at play in this “Battle of Champions,” as Ceelo Green will judge an "In-Season All-Star Competition," with each coach bringing back two fan-favorite team members. They will compete in head-to-head battles themselves, in hopes of earning their coach an extra artist in the finale. Those artists are:

Team Kelly

• Jake Hoot
• Girl Named Tom

Team Adam

• Javier Colon
• Jordan Smith

Team Legend

• Maelyn Jarmon
• Renzo

I’m not sure how many times the veteran artists will perform, but clearly this side contest also takes away time that would have otherwise been used by the singers in the main competition.

These aren’t the only big twists in store for The Voice Season 29. One change I’m super pumped for is no Blocks in the Blind Auditions, but I’m actually really disappointed that they’re also doing away with live episodes. Finale voting instead will fall to an in-studio audience of past contestants and superfans.

I'm interested in seeing how going from four coaches to three affects their strategies and, thankfully, we don’t have to wait any longer. The Voice Season 29 kicks off at 9 p.m. ET Monday, February 23, on NBC and streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

Though there had been rumors going around for quite some time, it was still a shock to many when Kelly Clarkson announced that her incredibly popular, Emmy winning daytime talk show would end with its current season on the 2026 TV schedule. The singer has had a rough time of it in her personal life over the past year or so, and revealed that while the choice “was not an easy decision,” she needs to “prioritize” her children more than her hosting schedule will allow. Now, she’s opened up about her kids more while answering questions during a fan Q&A.

What Kelly Clarkson Said About Her Kids During A Recent Fan Q&A

Kelly Clarkson made a big and immediate impact on daytime television when she took on her hosting duties in 2019. Over the course of only seven seasons, not only has her series been universally praised, but fans have seen the “Miss Independent” singer go through tons of personal ups and downs. The most recent of those involved the 2025 illness and death of her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, which led the star to take several days off from her show.

We’ve heard reports about how Clarkson is parenting the children she shared with Blackstock, 11-year-old daughter River and 9-year-old son Remington, and her desire to “be present for her kids” during this unbelievably difficult time came up as she answered questions from fans in a Q&A posted to The Kelly Clarkson Show’s YouTube page, which appeared to take place as she got ready to tape her show. One of the queries posed was, “What is the one thing you do every day that brings you joy?” and she answered:

Obviously, it’s beyond terrible that the kids are going through the death of a parent, especially at such young ages, but Clarkson has been there for them every step of the way. So, while parents typically want children to be able to stay in their own beds all night so they learn some independence, it makes complete sense that they’d want the comfort of all snuggling up together at night, and it sounds like their “classy” mom allows it whenever possible.

While she noted that the experience can be “a lot,” however, she’s also discovered that it’s led to some wonderful conversations and even more bonding time with her children, which is clearly something that all involved need right now. While Clarkson plans to move on professionally (including coaching Season 29 of The Voice) she’ll probably be down with snuggly sleeping sessions for quite a while longer.

The Super Bowl is over, the NBA All-Star Game has passed, and the Winter Olympics are in their final week. However, there is still plenty to look forward to this month on NBC, and of course I’m talking about the return of The Voice. The “Battle of Champions” hits the 2026 TV schedule on February 23, and while the singing competition’s kickoff is always worthy of celebration, I am especially pumped for Season 29, because I just found out the show has finally made a change that I’ve been wanting for years.

Three of The Voice’s most prestigious coaches — Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine and John Legend — will face off this season, and they recently sat down to discuss the harrowing competition to come. Much to my delight, the American Idol alum uttered five words that I have been waiting to hear:

The Blocks are gone!

In previous seasons, a coach had one Block to use during the Blind Auditions that would keep another coach from working with an artist — even if that coach hit their button and even if that was the mentor the contestant wanted to choose. It’s supposed to stir up drama between the coaches, but it ends up being a punishment for the artists, and I’ve been on my soapbox for five years asking them to get rid of the Blocks.

The topic came up when John Legend, Adam Levine and Kelly Clarkson were talking about the all-stars who will be returning for a little side competition on The Voice Season 29, to be judged by Levine’s fellow OG coach Ceelo Green. Those artists are:

• Javier Colon (Team Adam, Season 1 winner)
• Jordan Smith (Team Adam, Season 9 winner)
• Maelyn Jarmon (Team Legend, Season 16 winner)
• Jake Hoot (Team Kelly, Season 17 winner)
• Girl Named Tom (Team Kelly, Season 21 winner, the only group so far to win the show)
• Renzo (Team Legend, Season 27 third-place)

Back in Season 27, John Legend blocked Adam Levine from working with Renzo, and there’s simply no way to know how that affected the artist’s journey on the show.

That's the problem with the Blocks. The singers have to go through so much to even get the opportunity to sing in front of the four coaches (or three, in the upcoming iteration), so if they think a certain coach has the most to offer them or can share some expertise in the artist’s genre to potentially give them a leg up once the show is over, The Voice should not include game mechanics to hinder that.

Sure, sometimes it works out, like in Season 20, when Nick Jonas blocked John Legend from Cam Anthony. There’s no way the R&B artist would have chosen to go with Blake Shelton if Legend had been an option, but the country music star promised to have Anthony’s back, and they won the whole season together.

That, however, is the exception, not the rule, so I’m glad for Season 29 the artists will be able to choose any coach who hits their button, with no fear of being blocked from them.

I can’t wait to see what other twists and turns Carson Daly has in store for us, and thankfully we don’t have to wait long to find out. The Voice Season 29 premieres at 9 p.m. ET Monday, February 23 on NBC and streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

One of the most positivity-minded shows on TV for the past seven years, The Kelly Clarkson Show is ending in 2026, with the host divulging her decisions publicly after months of rumors and personal issues that kept her off the small screen (such as the death of ex-hubby Brandon Blackstock). Much of the conversation as circled around why she’s calling it quits now, but many fans are also wondering what she’ll be doing with her time once the series has wrapped.

We’re still months away from saying goodbye to The Kelly Clarkson Show, as it’s not expected to deliver its final episodes in the fall, and the Grammy winner is already set to return to her competitive stomping grounds on The Voice for its three-coach “Battle of the Champions” season (sadly without the Blake Vs. Adam showdown the producers vied for). But when it comes to Clarkson’s talk show, an alleged insider told US Weekly that hosting just doesn’t have the same draw that performing does. In the source’s words:

Some fans may be disappointed to hear that fronting the syndicated series isn’t an ongoing goal, and that it doesn’t stack up as highly as other performative ventures. Surely the Kelly-oke segments help sate her performance desires, and many viewers would be just as pumped to see an hour of cover songs each day. Alas…

According to the insider, the bulk of Clarkson’s passion goes to performing music, whether for live audiences or otherwise, and that’s a big part of her post-daytime goal-set. Here’s what else the source had to say:

Beyond sporadic tours, Las Vegas residencies and award show performances, the multi-hyphenate entertainer is also the smiling face behind the Kelly Clarkson Home brand of furniture and decor items through Wayfair. While fans might not think of that gig as a big time suck for the singer’s behind-the-scenes operations, that could easily be the case. Either way, she has more than enough duties outside of her talk show to keep her busy for many years to come.

Of course, that’s all solely related to her career path and work-related focuses, as Clarkson’s top priority is being a mother to the two children she had with Brandon Blackstock when they were still together. That part of her life obviously became more emotionally difficult after his death, and makes constantly traveling for work more of an obstacle. Hopefully things will transition smoothly once the daytime series is officially done.

As the final half-year stretch of episodes kicks off in earnest, Kelly Clarkson will be bowing out for the first week of episodes in March, with fellow Grammy winner PINK serving as guest host as part of a celebration of Women’s History Month. PINK’s first installment is set for March 2.

Otherwise, fans can tune into The Kelly Clarkson Show each weekday in syndication, so check your local listings for channel and time slot information.

There’s no questioning the success of The Kelly Clarkson Show — the 24 Daytime Emmys speak for themselves — and that was one of the main reasons it was so surprising to hear that the American Idol alum has chosen to end the show at the end of the season currently airing on the 2026 TV schedule. Sources say there’s one aspect of the talk show’s success that surprised Kelly Clarkson and ultimately may have led to this decision.

A lot has happened in Kelly Clarkson’s life over the past year, and the conclusion of her eponymous talk show comes after incessant rumors that the singer wanted to leave television — rumors that continued even after we learned that her absences from The Kelly Clarkson Show were due to her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock’s declining health. According to an insider, her decision to end the show had been brewing for a while. The source told US Weekly:

Kelly Clarkson has been candid about how demanding her talk show schedule is, saying during a concert last spring that it prevented her from playing as many concerts as she’d like to. Apparently, The Kelly Clarkson Show required a lot more work than the host expected, especially because she reportedly never imagined it would be such a massive success or last as long as it has. The insider continued:

Official word of The Kelly Clarkson Show’s impending demise after seven seasons came on February 2. The singer said that while she is “forever grateful and honored” to have had this platform, it was necessary for her to now step away from the daily schedule in order to prioritize her kids.

It’s completely understandable that Kelly Clarkson would want to spend more time with 11-year-old daughter River and 9-year-old son Remington after Brandon Blackstock’s death, but unfortunately for the talk show’s fans, that means she won’t even be hosting all of her final episodes. A series of guest hosts have been lined up for Clarkson to take select days/weeks off as we approach the final taping later this year.

Kelly Clarkson is reportedly “excited” about having more flexibility in her schedule moving forward, and she said in her announcement that she plans to continue making music. She’s also leaving the door open for other projects that wouldn’t require a full-time commitment, including being a coach on The Voice.

In fact, fans don’t have to wait long to see her return to the Big Red Chairs. Kelly Clarkson is back for The Voice’s revamped Season 29, facing off against Adam Levine and John Legend in the “Battle of Champions.”

We’ll see former winners return to the stage, and host Carson Daly has promised plenty of other surprises, so be sure to tune in at 9 p.m. ET Monday, February 23, on NBC and streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription. You can also check your local listings to see when to catch The Kelly Clarkson Show in your area.

The countdown to the end of The Kelly Clarkson Show is officially underway, and as the final season plays out, it’s becoming clear that Kelly Clarkson won’t be behind the desk for every remaining episode on the 2026 TV schedule. While the Emmy-winning series is continuing production as planned, a rotation of guest hosts will step in as Clarkson takes select days off before the show wraps its seven-season run.

According to Deadline, the first confirmed guest host is P!nk, who will take over hosting duties for a full week beginning March 2 in honor of Women’s History Month. The announcement follows last week’s confirmation that the show will conclude with its current season, though an exact final airdate has not yet been revealed.

P!nk’s guest-host stint will center on conversations celebrating women’s achievements, resilience, and cultural impact, a theme that fits squarely within the tone Clarkson has cultivated since the show debuted in 2019. NBC described the episodes as highlighting women who inspire change, break barriers, and uplift others, making the week feel more like a celebration than a placeholder.

Clarkson herself reacted warmly to the news, even while admitting she’ll miss watching it unfold in person. She said:

For Pink, the opportunity represents a new challenge. She told the outlet that, despite playing stadiums, “stepping in to guest host for my girl Kelly Clarkson is a brand new feat!” While adding that she was excited to celebrate women during her stint on the show.

The use of guest hosts also adds another layer to the show’s farewell season, which has been shaped by significant personal changes for Clarkson. The singer and talk show host previously explained that stepping away from the daily demands of daytime television would allow her to focus more on her children following the death of their father, Brandon Blackstock, last year.

Celebrities have also been quick to voice their support for Clarkson’s decision to step away from daytime television. Among them is fellow American Idol alum Jennifer Hudson, who has found her own success in daytime TV. Hudson recently praised Clarkson’s run, calling her a “GOAT” and offering words of encouragement from one Idol success story to another.

Even with her talk show coming to an end, Kelly Clarkson isn’t stepping away from television entirely. She’s expected to continue appearing on The Voice, where she remains a familiar presence for viewers, while also shifting more focus back to music and other creative projects.

As The Kelly Clarkson Show enters its final chapter, the mix of guest hosts and celebratory programming suggests a thoughtful wind-down rather than an abrupt goodbye. Viewers can still catch new episodes on NBC, with next-day streaming available via a Peacock subscription, as the show heads toward its conclusion.

We all know that The View co-hosts can throw some shade, but even since walking away from the table in 2021, Meghan McCain hasn’t had any trouble speaking her mind. This weekend she hit up social media to share her thoughts on current events like watching the Super Bowl halftime show and the recent daytime talk show cancellations, the latter of which included what appears to be a pretty brutal dig at Kelly Clarkson and Sherri Shepherd.

Last week news broke that both The Kelly Clarkson Show and Sherri would not return following the end of their current seasons on the 2026 TV schedule. Meghan McCain seemed to have a strong opinion about the reason for that, as she wrote (via EW) in a since-deleted post on X:

Meghan McCain didn’t mention either Kelly Clarkson or Sherri Shepherd by name, but given that this post came just days after these two major cancellations, it seems fairly simple to connect the dots. She went on to shout out another former talk show host whose style McCain had more of an appreciation for, writing:

It’s strange that Meghan McCain would fire such shots at Kelly Clarkson, who is generally loved for her relatability, but it seems the daughter of late Sen. John McCain prefers talk show hosts who push the envelope, perhaps challenging their guests a little more than the American Idol singer.

Meanwhile, Meghan McCain has had issues with Sherri Shepherd — who also previously co-hosted The View — in the past, which possibly makes the shade easier to explain. Back in 2022, Shepherd trash-talked McCain on Watch What Happens Live, and McCain responded by calling out the “toxic mean girl” reputation on ABC’s award-winning daytime series.

Sherri Shepherd was also the host chosen to replace Wendy Williams when health issues prompted her own series cancellation. Is it possible Kelly Clarkson just got caught in the crosshairs of an old beef? That would be easier to believe if McCain’s post had mentioned just one cancellation and not said, “all these daytime talk shows.”

Kelly Clarkson made the announcement on February 2, saying that stepping away from The Kelly Clarkson Show after seven seasons “will allow me to prioritize my kids, which feels necessary and right for this next chapter of our lives.” Brandon Blackstock, her ex-husband and the father of her two children, died in August after a long battle with cancer.

News of Sherri’s cancellation following Season 4, meanwhile, came just hours later from Ira Bernstein and Mort Marcus, the co-presidents of Debmar-Mercury, who said:

Sherri Shepherd spoke out the following day to thank fans for their support, saying that she had COVID and would “address all of the news that has come out” when she was feeling better.

We don’t yet have end dates for Sherri or The Kelly Clarkson Show, but both will finish out their current seasons and can still be seen each weekday. Check your local listings for time and channel.

The Kelly Clarkson Show will come to an end after seven seasons, as the Emmy-winner announced last week. Clarkson's big move will allow her to focus on her children after the death last year of their father Brandon Blackstock. However, Clarkson isn’t the only American Idol alum who’s since found success in daytime talk shows. Jennifer Hudson also has become a celebrated host, and she shared her unique perspective on the situation.

It’s not known exactly when Kelly Clarkson will host her final episode, just that it will be sometime on the 2026 TV schedule. When that day comes, she’ll get nothing but well-wishes from one fellow American Idol contestant, as Jennifer Hudson told Variety at the premiere of her new movie Goat:

It’s pretty sweet that Jennifer Hudson would use the animated movie’s title to reference someone else as the “Greatest Of All Time,” especially since they’re technically in competition for daytime viewers.

While both are among American Idol’s most famous contestants, they did not compete against each other on the show. Kelly Clarkson won the first season in 2002, with Jennifer Hudson finishing seventh on Season 3 (and yes, fans are still upset about that).

In addition to making music, both went on to pursue other opportunities post-Idol before the talk show world came knocking. They were both coaches on The Voice, for instance, and Jennifer Hudson won an Oscar for her role in Dreamgirls before hitting the Broadway stage and ultimately earning an EGOT.

The Kelly Clarkson Show debuted in 2019, with The Jennifer Hudson Show following in 2022. They’ve both become hits, with Clarkson’s winning 24 Daytime Emmys and J-Hud’s earning a dozen nominations. Hudson’s viral Spirit Tunnel videos have become a phenomenon unto themselves.

Rumors that Kelly Clarkson was quitting TV plagued the singer throughout 2025 — even after it was learned that her unexplained absences and canceled shows were due to the illness and ultimate death of ex-husband Brandon Blackstock. Insiders continued to suggest that her enthusiasm for The Kelly Clarkson Show was waning and that she would walk away after her contract expired following Season 7.

That turned out to be what happened, as she said it was “not an easy decision,” but:

Kelly Clarkson is reportedly “excited” about having more flexibility with her schedule to focus on her children River, 11, and Remington, 9, as well as continue to write and record music and even make more appearances on The Voice.

In fact, she’s set to appear alongside Adam Levine and John Legend on The Voice’s revamped Season 29 with all-new twists for what is being dubbed the “Battle of Champions.” Tune in at 9 p.m. ET Monday, February 23, on NBC and streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription. You can also check your local listings to see when to catch The Kelly Clarkson Show and The Jennifer Hudson Show.

It’s the end of an era on daytime television, as Kelly Clarkson has announced that her eponymous talk show will end after its seventh season. Fans are reeling over the thought of no more Kellyoke or the daily doses of Clarkson’s charming relatability that she brings to her celebrity interviews. A lot has happened for the singer in the past year, though, and it sounds like there’s one thing she’s allegedly excited about when The Kelly Clarkson Show comes to an end.

Kelly Clarkson has been pretty forthcoming about how demanding her talk show is, and when the final episode reaches the 2026 TV schedule, it sounds like she’s going to enjoy the newfound freedom. An alleged insider told People:

River, 11, and Remington, 9, were Kelly Clarkson’s top priority even before the death of their father, Brandon Blackstock, who is Clarkson’s ex-husband. Parenting them through this grief can’t be easy, and she’s reportedly focused on being present with them and providing stability. Not having to work around her talk show schedule will make that a lot easier, according to the source, who said:

I’d say Kelly Clarkson has definitely earned some balance. Since finding fame on American Idol in 2002, she’s starred in a movie, became a coach on The Voice, released 10 studio albums (winning 3 Grammy Awards), led an Emmy-winning talk show (two dozen Emmys, to be exact), hosted American Song Contest, covered the Olympics, and continued to tour and host residencies in Las Vegas.

The insider confirms Kelly Clarkson will keep making music, and I’m relieved that she’ll allegedly still take on other “projects she enjoys,” because I’d love to see her return to The Voice on a more regular basis.

The talk show host herself said she needed to spend this time with River and Remington when she announced the impending end of The Kelly Clarkson Show, saying:

As disappointing as that is to fans, it’s hard to argue with her reasoning, and I’m glad her kids will have her focused attention as they grieve the loss of their dad. Even other celebs responded with love and support as news circulated.

We don’t have an exact date for The Kelly Clarkson Show’s final episode yet, but she usually wraps her seasons in late June or early July. In the meantime, you can also catch Kelly Clarkson reuniting with Adam Levine and John Legend on The Voice’s revamped Season 29, which will feature plenty of surprises, including the return of past contestants as well as OG coach Ceelo Green. Tune in at 9 p.m. ET Monday, February 23, on NBC and streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

The TV talk show landscape has been in flux for a while, with The Late Show canceled and set to end in May, leaving just ABC and NBC with late night fare (for now). Daytime television is also facing something of an exodus, as this week cemented endgame plans for The Kelly Clarkson Show, which is officially done after seven seasons, following nearly a year’s worth of rumors about behind-the-scenes issues. To be expected, the host’s announcement was met with a wave of support and love from her celebs and other followers.

Despite all the rumored writing on the wall, the reports were being treated as just that up until just recently, as an insider claimed a week prior that NBC would be making the call about the show’s future, following a new set of rumors that pointed to the show’s budget being unsustainable for the long haul. Clarkson’s message itself doesn’t address any of that, and instead points to her being able to spend more time with her children, which obviously makes sense given how her ex Brandon Blackstock’s death lead to postponed shows in 2025.

Given how much Clarkson’s been through in the past year, the comment section of her post is filled with sympathy, love and acceptance. Sure, there’s more than a little disappointment in general, since she IS one of the most positive-minded and welcoming hosts on TV. But the comments mostly look like these:

• KERRY WASHINGTON (Wake Up Dead Man): You’re amazing Kelly! Sending you so much love and gratitude.
• JULIA MICHAELS (Singer/Songwriter): Love youuuuuuuuu will miss hearing your voice pop up on my feed all the time ❤️❤️
• ANGELA KINSEY (Office Ladies): ❤️
• CARNIE WILSON (Musician): We love you ... I'm hoping for one more appearance with you sweetie... I'm so lucky to have baked with you, sing with you, talk with you!!! You're the best!!!! ❤️
• FORTUNE FEIMSTER (Stand-Up Comedian): You have been an amazing host. I was honored to have gotten to be on the show. Ten times. But who’s counting. Here’s to your next chapter!

As seen above, Clarkson's post got love from a variety of different entertainers. Movie stars. love Kelly. TV stars love Kelly. Singers love Kelly. Comedians and chefs love Kelly. If only this kind of love was enough to ward away all of life's stresses, I'd find a way to bottle Instagram comments.

Oh, did I mention chefs without actually dropping comments from anyone? Well how about ones from Top Chef, The Chew and Worst Cooks vet Carla Hall and James Beard Award-winning TikTok forager Alexis Nicole? Or maybe Snooki?

• YVETTE NICOLE BROWN (Zootopia 2): I hope I get to visit with you before your show ends! I loved watching you as a host! 🩷 I know I'll love seeing whatever you choose to do next! You've never missed!
• ALEXIS NICOLE (TikTok Chef: Kelly, you’ve been such a joy to watch! You’ve gifted us countless amazing kellyoke covers! Being on your show is one of the coolest things I’ve been lucky enough to do 🥹 can’t wait to tune in for one more epic season!!
• CARLA HALL (Celeb Chef): You will be missed, but I'm also excited to see what's next. We'll all be watching!!! 😍😍😍❤️❤️❤️
• RANDY RAINBOW (Comedian, Singer): ❤️❤️❤️❤️
• SNOOKI (Jersey Shore): Queen

Judging by all the comments, one can possibly assume that the back half of The Kelly Clarkson Show's final season will feature roughly 100,000 celebs, since everyone wants to take part before it's all said and done. Well, maybe not everyone, but enough. I'd throw my hat in that ring, too. Get me on the show, Kelly!

But viewers will probably see any of the following talents on there instead of yours truly, for better or worse. (Definitely not worse.)

• JENNA DEWAN (The Rookie): You are amazing ❤️❤️❤️
• NICO SANTOS (The Z-Suite): You’re an incredible host and we will miss your presence! Thanks for having me on the show! You and your crew were so welcoming and warm. Looking forward to your next chapter ❤️❤️❤️
• JESS HILARIOUS (Stand-Up Comedian): Nooooooo I was waiting my turn 😢I love your show KC ❤️
• D-NICE (DJ, Producer): It was an honor to be on your show. Thank you for the memories. Forever grateful.
• OLIVIA MUNN (Your Friends and Neighbors): ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

For all the sour feelings, it's not like The Kelly Clarkson Show is actually done yet. The currently in-production seventh season will be the last one, but episodes are expected to continue filming and airing into Fall 2026, so at least another seven or eight months, barring any additional setbacks.

Will another superstar celeb take her place, or will that time slot inevitably get filled by cheaper local fare? Will Clarkson return to The Voice's next open slot? Will she relese a box set of Kellyoke covers? Hopefully "yes" to three of those, and not to much to the cheap local content.

Kelly Clarkson has been a daytime TV mainstay going back to 2019, winning several Emmys and the hearts of viewers who didn't already know her from her American Idol audition. Now, however, weeks of rumors about the future of her talk show have come true: The Kelly Clarkson Show is ending after seven seasons, and the host/music star shared her reasoning for walking away from the show that has been such a hit.

In a statement confirming that The Kelly Clarkson Show will end in the fall of the 2026 TV schedule, Clarkson started out by expressing her gratitude for the "amazing moments" she's experienced over her years of daytime television. She said:

Kelly Clarkson has been through a lot in her personal life over the seven seasons of the show, including her highly publicized divorce from ex Brandon Blackstock, followed by his passing in the summer of 2025. While she has kept her smile on during The Kelly Clarkson show, the host explained why she made what she describes as "not an easy decision." She said:

Production on Season 7 will continue as originally planned, with new episodes set to air through to Fall 2026. Clarkson will continue hosting as usual, but special guest hosts are on the way as well. This isn't particularly shocking; she was absent from the show for some time ahead of the 1,000-episode milestone, although she was present for the milestone with some cheeky comments for the audience.

NBCUniversal Executive Vice President of Syndication Studios Tracis Wilson praised the series as "an extraordinary collaboration," while also crediting showrunner Alex Duda for "vision, leadership and unwavering commitment across all seven seasons" that have "guided us through unprecedented times and a cross-country move." Valari Staab, Chairman of NBCUniversal Local, said "We thank Kelly and the production team" and she will "look forward to the remainder of this season as they complete their successful run."

As for Clarkson herself, singer made it clear in her statement that she's not leaving daytime TV because she wants to focus on The Voice or chase another talk show opportunity, but she'll be able to "prioritize" her kids. There were rumors of problems behind the scenes as far back as April 2025, but there was reason to hope for The Kelly Clarkson Show to continue as recently as late January.

Clarkson and her show have been present on the awards circuit going back to the beginning, earning nominations at the People's Choice Awards, Critics Choice Awards, and Daytime Emmy Awards. Clarkson herself won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show host in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, with the show winning Outstanding Talk Show in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.

There are still months of new episodes left before the final credits roll on The Kelly Clarkson Show this fall. You check your local listings to see her series on weekdays.

For months now, rumors have been swirling about the future of The Kelly Clarkson Show. Most recently, an insider claimed that the show might be at the bottom of her list of things she wants to prioritize in her life moving forward, seriously casting doubt on whether the show would span past the 2026 TV schedule. However, a rep for the show says there’s a wrinkle in the ‘rumor’ of the show ending.

According to a representative of the Daytime Emmy Award-winning talk show, who spoke to Entertainment Weekly, there are currently no plans to end the series after its seventh season, despite recent online speculation. The rep wrote:

Speculation about The Kelly Clarkson Show’s future began circulating last week, after a source alleged the series was no longer “sustainable” in a fast-shifting daytime TV landscape.

It would seem, despite the rumors, not everyone is ready to close the curtains. Another insider cautioned against rushing to conclusions, stressing that no final decision has been made and the season is still far from over. For now, at least, the “Stronger” singer doesn’t appear to be packing up Studio 6A.

The talk show kicked off its 7th season last September in classic Clarkson fashion, opening with a “Kellyoke” cover of The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” before welcoming A Big Bold Beautiful Journey stars Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell for interviews. During her opening remarks, the Texas native framed the new season around optimism and purpose, explaining that the focus would be on spotlighting people who are actively trying to make a positive difference in their communities.

Executive producer Alex Duda further explained to the outlet that the show's focus on community and positivity was something they planned to build on through newly added segments like Life Well Lit and Celebs With Skills. Both were designed to shift the focus outward, highlighting positivity and practical inspiration rather than just celebrity chatter. Duda framed the approach as a conscious choice, especially during uncertain times. The goal, he said:

At the same time, it wouldn’t be surprising if the “Because of You” performer ever felt the need to step back. The past year has brought significant change for Clarkson, both on a personal level and in her career. In 2025, she lost her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, the father of her two children. His death helped clarify why the American Idol winner had stepped away from tapings earlier that year, as she was reportedly prioritizing time with her kids and supporting them while Blackstock’s health declined. The loss also had ripple effects beyond her talk show, impacting her availability and role as a judge on The Voice.

For now, whether the singer-turned-talk-show host ultimately takes a step back remains an open question, but according to at least one show representative, talk of an imminent exit is getting ahead of reality. As things stand, the rumors are just that, and Kelly Clarkson is said to be fully committed as the show heads into the back half of Season 7, which is scheduled to continue through the summer.

The Kelly Clarkson Show has been at the center of a considerable amount of speculation over the past year or so, and the rumors haven’t slowed down. As the daytime TV offering continues to air amid the 2026 TV schedule, insiders continue to drop claims about the show’s future. More recent reports suggest that the series is set to end following the end of its seventh season later this year. Now, there are new rumors regarding what could allegedly convince Clarkson, who’s reportedly been aiming to step down, to maintain her TV post.

It’s been alleged that Clarkson’s staffers are of the thinking that she’s ready to pack it all in. A source spoke to Daily Mail and claimed that show employees believe she’s no longer committed to the show and that she doesn’t see it as “vital” anymore. Nevertheless, that same source also claimed the “one main reason” Clarkson would stay would be because of her staff members. Apparently, even despite the chatter, the singer and media personality is “still a good boss” and remains “engaged” with the people she works with. They also said:

This report also features some claims that counter the aforementioned sentiments on Kelly Clarkson's supposed mindset. While some people within the show claim she’s not focused, another source says the “Breakaway” performer still wants to “give it her all” as this season of her show progresses and wants to go out on a high note:

Nevertheless, a lot has changed for Clarkson over the past year, from both personal and professional standpoints. In 2025, Clarkson marked the death of her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, who was also the father of her two young kids. Blackstock’s death retroactively explained why Clarkson had been absent from tapings during the earlier part of that year, as she’d reportedly been taking her children to see their father amid his illness. Blackstock’s passing also impacted Clarkson’s role as a judge on The Voice.

As for Kelly Clarkson’s talk show, before it returned in the fall of 2025, there was mass speculation as to how the eponymous host was feeling about the program. Clarkson notably went viral that May for speaking about her demanding talk show schedule during a live performance in Atlantic City. All the while, staffers have reportedly been trying to handle the atmosphere behind the scenes, and some have apparently not been too bullish about the show’s future long term.

One of Daily Mail’s sources also alleges that Clarkson hasn’t quite been herself since her ex’s passing and that there’s been “something different” with her. As for how Clarkson’s allegedly feeling about her career, it’s been claimed that she’s excited about making new music and that she also purportedly wants to shift away from daytime TV. The Grammy winner’s TV contract is set to expire this year, so she now has the opportunity to step away should she so choose.

Career-wise, it feels like there’s very little that Kelly Clarkson hasn’t done. Since finding fame as the very first winner of American Idol, she has starred in a movie, toured all over the world, become a mom, provided commentary at the Olympics, started a talk show and won Emmy Awards for it. There is no venue too big for Clarkson’s powerhouse vocals, but of everything she’s accomplished, there was just one audience that left her “terrified” — her child’s classroom.

Kelly Clarkson is used to the spotlight, but apparently, it feels different when all of those looks are coming from children — and not just any children, but the ones your own kid has to see every day. She opened up about the harrowing experience when Saturday Night Live comedian (and new children’s book author) Kenan Thompson visited The Kelly Clarkson Show, admitting to him:

Yes, I left “sang for the pope” off the above list of Kelly Clarkson's accomplishments, but that’s a pretty good example to describe just how much pressure she felt going in front of a classroom to read a book. Maybe if she’d been up there to sing, rather than read, she would have felt slightly more at home.

Kenan Thompson agreed that reading for children is terrifying because at that young age, they have no filter, and they’re not afraid to share their opinions, no matter how brutal the truth could be.

Neither Kelly Clarkson nor Kenan Thompson seemed to actually have had a bad experience with any of the students, thankfully, because I can understand the main reason Clarkson would be nervous. She said:

Kelly Clarkson has two children, 11-year-old River and 9-year-old Remington, whom she shared with her ex-husband. Brandon Blackstock died in August after a long, private battle with cancer, and sources say that while Clarkson’s children have always been her priority, she’s especially focused on being present now.

I wonder if that means more trips to the classroom might be in order!

Either way, even those outside of her kids’ school will be able to see more of Kelly Clarkson soon, as she’s returning as a coach on The Voice when Season 29 hits the 2026 TV schedule next month. She’s joining fellow veterans Adam Levine and John Legend for a revamped season dubbed “Battle of Champions.”

Catch the premiere at 9 p.m. ET Monday, February 23, on NBC and streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription. You can also continue to see Kelly Clarkson weekdays on her talk show (check your local listings for time and channel).

Looking back at the year that just ended, 2025 was quite a tough one for Kelly Clarkson. Unexplained talk show absences and canceled concerts sparked rumors that the singer was looking to leave television, but the truth ended up being even worse. Brandon Blackstock, Clarkson’s ex-husband and the father of her two children, died at age 48 after a long, private battle with cancer. Now, a source has weighed in on how the singer has allegedly approached parenting since his passing.

The holidays can be rough for those who have experienced loss, and a supposed insider said that Kelly Clarkson has remained focused on her children as 11-year-old River and 9-year-old Remington marked their first Christmas without their father. The source told People:

Kelly Clarkson has had to balance a lot over the past year, but it makes sense that her top priority remains her children, as the insider continued:

Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock tied the knot in 2013 and were married seven years before the American Idol winner filed for divorce in 2020. The next couple of years were full of contention between the two as they fought over unpaid royalties, property and custody of their children.

The former music manager was diagnosed with melanoma in 2022, reportedly after he and Kelly Clarkson finalized their divorce that same year. The news allegedly changed her perspective, and insiders say she turned her focus toward her children then, too, allowing them to travel to Montana and attend family functions they typically might not have.

She also refrained from revealing her ex-husband’s diagnosis publicly and to keep things “classy,” especially in front of River and Remington, in order to ensure they had the best possible relationship with their father.

Kelly Clarkson has since returned to work and a more normal (read: hectic) schedule. It remains to be seen if or how Brandon Blackstock’s death will be addressed on The Voice Season 29, on which Clarkson will return to battle Adam Levine and John Legend. Crucial parts of the season were allegedly delayed by her absence, and it’s unknown if another coach was brought in as a replacement.

Brandon Blackstock had several connections to The Voice, as he was Reba McEntire’s stepson and also once served as Blake Shelton’s manager. Carson Daly said they all knew Blackstock well and were supporting McEntire and Kelly Clarkson however they could.

If the recently wrapped Season 28 — which taped simultaneously with Season 29 — was affected in any way, it wasn’t clear to viewers, though Reba McEntire did break down in tears after one emotional performance, saying she had lost her “oldest son” to cancer.

I’m just glad to hear that Kelly Clarkson is doing what she can to provide love and support for her kids during this difficult time. As for seeing her on TV, fans can catch her weekdays on The Kelly Clarkson Show (check local listings) and as one of The Voice coaches when Season 29 premieres on the 2026 TV schedule at 9 p.m. ET Monday, February 23, on NBC and streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

Fans of The Voice are in for a treat on the 2026 TV schedule with a revamped Season 29 coming to NBC in February that will feature new twists and Kelly Clarkson reuniting with Adam Levine for the first time in seven years. However, the singing competition also has a milestone coming up next fall, and apparently big plans are in the works. If the rumors are true, The Voice Season 30 could feature arguably the most impressive panel yet, but I’ve got one Blake Shelton-sized concern.

According to an alleged insider, The Sun reports that The Voice is trying to get Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, Gwen Stefani and Kelly Clarkson as their dream lineup to coach Season 30, and they’re reportedly willing to shell out millions of dollars to do it. The source reported:

The tabloid notes that nothing has been finalized yet, and there’s still plenty of time for things to change, with The Voice Season 30 not expected to go into production until late spring or early summer.

I agree that when looking at all of The Voice coaches, it’s hard to beat this lineup. A Blake Shelton reunion with Adam Levine seems like it should be top priority, and throwing Kelly Clarkson back into the competitive mix would be fantastic. Gwen Stefani makes sense as the fourth coach, as she and Shelton could return to the stage where they first met over a decade ago on Season 7.

Here’s why I’m wary to believe these rumors: Blake Shelton still has yet to show any interest in returning to The Voice. Of course he would be amongst NBC’s dream lineup; everybody wants to see the cowboy and the Maroon 5 rocker together again, but it seems like a long shot that it would actually happen. The insider even acknowledged this, saying:

Blake Shelton has said he shut down for about a year after leaving The Voice in 2023, and once he became motivated to help up-and-coming artists again, he landed on The Road (streaming with a Paramount+ subscription), where he traveled with musicians competing to open for Keith Urban.

It’s not just Blake Shelton, though, who could pose a problem for this dream Season 30 lineup. As the supposed insider noted:

Kelly Clarkson left The Voice when she and her Emmy-winning talk show relocated to New York, and she’s expressed the need to stay on the East Coast to give her children stability. It seems like that might be especially important following the death of Brandon Blackstock — their father and Clarkson’s ex-husband.

It was a surprise that the “Since U Been Gone” singer agreed to return for Season 29, and I don’t know if that makes it more or less likely that she’d return again for Season 30.

I’ve been a huge fan of The Voice since the beginning, and no one would be happier than me to see Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, Adam Levine and Kelly Clarkson come together for the competition’s milestone 30th season. But despite the rumors circulating, I will remain skeptical until we get something official from NBC or Shelton himself.

The Voice Season 29 premieres at 9 p.m. ET Monday, February 23, on NBC and streaming with a Peacock subscription.

Blake Shelton may no longer be on The Voice, but that hasn’t stopped his fellow coaches from shading him on occasion. It’s been two years since Shelton’s final chair turn and, while a lot of the Voice coaches have come and gone over the years, his absence is certainly felt. He’s made some memorable friendly rivalries with Adam Levine and Kelly Clarkson, among others, and Clarkson is still keeping up with it. Anyone who needs evidence of that should know about the time Clarkson even shaded Shelton during an impromptu vow renewal.

During one of Clarkson’s shows for her Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, one fan handed her a piece of paper and asked her to officiate their vow renewal, which happened during the concert. In a video posted to TikTok by user themrkingalex, the American Idol winner pointed out that she hadn't officially been ordained as an officiant but that she would make sure to go online that night to make it official. She also hilariously said, “If Blake Shelton can do this, any fucking person can do this.” Check it out:

Shelton has officiated weddings more than once, having done it for best friend Trace Adkins in 2019 and his former manager, Narvel Blackstock, in 2024. So it’s pretty funny that Clarkson felt the need to bring that up, even despite the fact that The Voice’s Carson Daly officiated Shelton and Gwen Stefani’s wedding. However, it’s not surprising, since she wouldn’t want to pass up an opportunity to roast the country star.

Clarkson and Shelton had quite a memorable friendly rivalry on The Voice, and she brought that humorous competitiveness back when she returned to the series earlier this year. She trolled Shelton by sitting in his old chair and was as happy as ever. It’s fun to see that this rivalry/friendship continue to endure and doesn’t seem to be slowing down.

That being said, seeing Clarkson shading Shelton at her show makes me wish that Shelton would return to The Voice, even for just a season. Some thought Clarkson wouldn’t return, especially once The Kelly Clarkson Show moved to New York. However, she's going to be back for Season 29 on the 2026 TV schedule, which is certainly a plus. I’m just looking forward to seeing all the fun trolling continue, especially since she’ll be joined by John Legend and Adam Levine, the latter of whom also had a pretty iconic and fun rivalry with Shelton.

Arguably, the best part of The Voice is not seeing the aspiring singers and rooting for favorites, but it's the chemistry between the coaches and seeing how fun they truly have. The friendly competition is has been a welcome part of the show, and I hope that dynamics like the one between Shelton and Clarkson don't go away.

Simon Cowell earned notoriety during the early aughts for sharing his harsh feedback on American Idol. Yet the media personality has sustained a successful presence within the reality competition circuit. Now, he’s taking a moment to reminisce about Idol's first season on Fox (which aired in 2002) as well as its breakout star, Kelly Clarkson. Cowell also explained how Clarkson’s star power -- and her likeability factors -- helped the show avoid flopping.

Ahead of the release of his upcoming Netflix show, The Next Act (for which a trailer was recently released), Cowell chatted with Rolling Stone about the various competition shows he's been a part of. Naturally, American Idol, the small-screen juggernaut that kicked off the singing competition show craze, came up. With that, Clarkson's victory during that inaugural season was also mentioned. All in all, Cowell, seems to have positive feelings about how Clarkson closed out Season 1, saying:

I 100% agree with his feelings about the OG American Idol winner, and I feel that Tamara Gray could've given her a run for her money. And, while she didn't enter the competition until Season 3, Jennifer Hudson also could've given Clarkson some competition. (If you couldn’t guess, I was watching in real time and was devastated when Gray and Hudson were booted in their respective seasons.) Ultimately, though, the “Stronger” singer’s historic reality show moment was just the beginning of a career that would be marked by multiple hit albums, a Vegas residency and even a nationally syndicated talk show.

Kelly Clarkson's iconic win was also huge for the success of American Idol. Simon Cowell seemed to be confident, in some ways, about the show's potential to dominate in the ratings. However, that was far from a certainty for the series, which was also featured Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson as judges. When talking about his headspace, Cowell said:

Again, his assessment, to me, is spot on, as Clarkson was just a young woman going about her business in Texas. But, even with that shimmer of hope, the margin of error was huge, given that televised talent competitions hadn’t blended with reality shows in a fuller capacity at that point. At that point, series like Survivor and The Bachelor were on the reality competition scene alongside MTV’s offbeat offerings. Star Search already existed, but that show had been off the air for years by the time Idol arrived.

Obviously, since Kelly Clarkson won that first year, American Idol has had its fair shares of ups and downs. Other shows offering similarly exciting fare also entered the arena and shifted the paradigm, so to speak. Also, even years in, Abdul left the show, Cowell left soon after, and Jackson called it quits just shy of the 15th Season, with Ryan Seacrest remaining as host throughout the entire run . Eventually, Fox canceled the show in 2016, but it gained new life in 2018 when ABC picked it up for more episodes.

Even though it's been over two decades since Cowell and co. crowned Clarkson the first American Idol, the show remains a pop culture staple. And, quite frankly, I love to see it.

American Idol is set to return to ABC amid the 2026 TV schedule. In the meantime, stream episodes of the show using a Hulu subscription.

Reese Witherspoon's best movies, TV shows and even her own production company, Hello Sunshine, have shown fans how she’s built a legacy around telling stories that empower and connect women. Given how Witherspoon has been in the entertainment industry since her teens, I have loved watching her career grow over time. Now, it's cool to see Kelly Clarkson and the actress’ own son getting so passionate about her deserving an EGOT.

For those who need a refresher, EGOT winners are celebrities who’ve won an Emmy, Tony, Oscar and Grammy. While Reese Witherspoon has won an Oscar and an Emmy, she still needs a Grammy and a Tony to top it all off. On an episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, its host said that it’s “crap” that The Morning Show actress didn’t win a Grammy for singing in Walk the Line, and I love Clarkson’s passionate reaction to why she was mad about that:

You would think that Reese Witherspoon won a Grammy for Walk the Line considering how talented she was singing like June Carter. But like the New Orleans native mentioned on the show that it was only the soundtrack that won. However, her not winning a Grammy for the music biopic doesn’t take away the fire and fierceness she brought out portraying the famed country singer.

The Cruel Intentions actress brought up to Kelly Clarkson that she wasn’t the only one frustrated that she’s not an EGOT winner. Witherspoon’s youngest son, Tennessee, who she said is “super invested” in her career, had a charming response to say about her EGOT status that’s making me gush:

Funnily enough, Reese Witherspoon made sure to mention her 13-year-old doesn’t know what a Tony is. That’s the cutest thing! Since the Sweet Home Alabama actress raised her kids on Hollywood sets, she previously admitted that they would give her career advice. The sweetest piece of advice that Tennessee could give is to encourage his mom to be a winner without any care for what the award is for. That’s a fan worth keeping in your corner.

It seems to me like the answer here is we need to find Reese Witherspoon a play or another musical film for her to get to EGOT status. As Witherspoon’s latest projects include the 2025 movie release of You’re Cordially Invited (which is streaming on your Amazon Prime Video subscription) and the currently-running The Morning Show Season 4, I don’t think any of those works will help her be an EGOT winner. Hopefully theatre and a musical movie are in the cards. Here’s The Kelly Clarkson Show moment in full below:

As much as I love how passionate Kelly Clarkson and Reese Witherspoon’s son are for wanting her to be an EGOT winner, you can’t deny that they raise a great point. However, I believe it’s a matter of when and not if. Witherspoon's just has to take on another singing project and the adventure of theater for that dream to soon be a reality.

The news that Kelly Clarkson was coming back to The Voice for its upcoming revamped 29th season was quite exciting for fans like myself. However, tragedy struck her family soon after they started taping, when her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock passed away after a long battle with cancer, and she stepped away temporarily. An insider for the singing competition has spoken out about how Clarkson’s absence allegedly impacted production and the warning the crew was reportedly given upon her return.

Brandon Blackstock died August 7 at age 48, five years after Kelly Clarkson filed to end their marriage. Despite a contentious divorce, they remained connected through their two children, and Clarkson had the full support of The Voice to focus on her family in the days that followed his passing. According to an insider, per The Sun, this did affect their production schedule, as they alleged:

Previous reports had indicated the show might be looking for someone to step in as Kelly Clarkson’s replacement — former The Voice coaches Miley Cyrus or Kelsea Ballerini, for instance. Ballerini has filled in for Clarkson before, in Season 20, when the American Idol alum was sick, and in addition to coaching Season 27, she is also a Battle Advisor for Michael Bublé’s team on Season 28.

However, the insider seems to indicate production was delayed until Kelly Clarkson returned. When that happened, according to the source, the crew was allegedly given a strict warning, they said:

That’s completely understandable, because if Kelly Clarkson were just being reminded of her ex-husband’s death constantly, there’s no way she’d be able to focus on her job of helping to coach singers into the entertainment industry. Still, the source said, she was “flooded” with love from her colleagues, even as everyone reportedly remained “strictly professional.”

I’d imagine that if such a direction was given regarding Kelly Clarkson, the same would go for Reba McEntire. The queen of country is a coach on The Voice Season 28, which is currently airing on the 2025 TV schedule. She paid tribute to her late stepson following his death and also reportedly stepped away from the show, as the 28th and 29th seasons are filming concurrently.

We’ll have to see if Reba McEntire’s absence is addressed or noticeable, as Season 28 continues its Battle round. New episodes air at 8 p.m. ET each Monday and Tuesday on NBC and can be streamed the next day with a Peacock subscription.

The Kelly Clarkson Show kicked off Season 7 in late September amid the 2025 TV schedule after much anticipation. Clarkson’s return, of course, comes in the aftermath of a summer that’s reportedly been tough for her family due to the death of her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock. While Clarkson hasn’t discussed her ex’s death on air, one of her colleagues just mentioned how she and others have been through “a lot” as of late. He also weighed in on how the host balances her lighthearted show with tragic subject matter.

On the season premiere of her talk show, Kelly Clarkson acknowledged the floods that sadly impacted parts of Texas this past summer. Clarkson, who’s a Texas native, took the time to acknowledge the first responders who rescued over 900 children during the ordeal. Clarkson herself became teary-eyed while discussing the situation and, during an interview with USA Today, her show’s music director, Jason Halbert confirmed it was “emotional for all of [them].” From there, Halbert praised, Clarkson for being able to shift gears amid the taping:

Halpert makes a good point, and it’s one that can be applied to a number of different TV personalities. While hosts are typically called upon to have a considerable amount of lively and positive energy, there are times at which they must be solemn during the same broadcasts. In terms of Kelly Clarkson specifically, she can pay tribute to those in need or experiencing hardship before seamlessly making jokes with a guest or belting out fun Kellyoke covers. As for those songs, Halpert also had this to say:

On the surface, the music lead seems to be referring to the personal matters Clarkson has been dealing with as of late. Brandon Blackstock died in August following a battle with cancer following months of reports about his health. Clarkson – who tapes her show in New York – was reportedly taking her and Blackstock’s two kids back and forth between NYC and his residence in Montana to see him. In hindsight, those trips explained why Clarkson missed show tapings earlier this year.

Even though Kelly Clarkson hasn’t discussed her former husband’s passing on the show, as of this writing, it has seemingly been alluded to. A recent episode of the series featured singer and American Idol judge Lionel Richie, who spoke to Clarkson about grief. That’s also a relatively heavy topic for a mostly easy-going show like Clarkson’s yet, as showrunner Alex Duda explained to USA Today, such a deft balance in material has always been par for the course with this particular talk show:

Unfortunately, tragedies are part of life and, in many cases, they warrant acknowledgement. Times are indeed challenging for many people right now, so it’s appreciated that a star like Kelly Clarkson provides comfort through entertainment while also acknowledging difficult subject matter. Check your local listings to see when The Kelly Clarkson Show airs in your area.

One of the reasons fans love Kelly Clarkson so much is for how relatable she is. So it would only be natural for the talk show host to, in some way, discuss what she’s been going through since the death of her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock. The Kelly Clarkson Show Season 7 premiered recently on the 2025 TV schedule, and she revealed that Lionel Richie’s words helped her grieving process.

Lionel Richie, a current judge on American Idol, visited the very first winner of American Idol (which can be streamed with a YouTube TV subscription), where the topic of grief came up. In writing his memoir, Truly: The Official Inspirational Journey Through the Life of a Musical Legend, Richie revealed that he struggled while reliving the loss of his parents. Grief is obviously something that Kelly Clarkson has been feeling, too, since the passing of her children’s father from cancer at age 48. In reference to Richie’s book, she said:

What should be made clear is that Clarkson didn’t mention Brandon Blackstock by name during the conversation. Still, she asked Lionel Richie how he was able to figure that out, and the “Stuck on You” singer shared a very cerebral take:

It’s awful, but true, that you can try to imagine what life would be like without someone in it, but you can never really prepare for how you’ll feel or react. The mere thought of that is honestly daunting. As Kelly Clarkson pointed out, grief also hits you in waves. With that, Lionel Richie continued:

This really seemed to resonate with the singer, as she fell back in her chair and let out a long expletive. I really love that these two titans of the music world were able to sit back and have a candid conversation about how people contend with grief.

Brandon Blackstock was reportedly sick for years, but Kelly Clarkson protected his privacy, even when his health took a turn for the worse and rumors spread about why she was missing tapings of The Kelly Clarkson Show and canceling shows on her Las Vegas residency.

It’s undoubtedly been a tough time for Kelly Clarkson, as well as for 11-year-old River Rose and 9-year-old Remy. I’m glad to hear that she was able to connect with some of Lionel Richie’s words in this time of healing for her.

Time will tell if and how Clarkson's experience plays into the rest of the current season of The Kelly Clarkson Show, which airs weekdays. Check your local listings for time and channel.

Since The Kelly Clarkson Show debuted in 2019, fans have seemingly been loving it to pieces. With the show's great Kellyoke covers and the singer’s vivacious energy, it’s hard not to. It was ultimately reported earlier in September that the daytime talk show launched production on its latest season amid the 2025 TV schedule. Nevertheless, as the crew gets back to work, speculation continues to swirl in regard to Clarkson allegedly wanting to leave her show.

Kelly Clarkson said back in 2019 that the reason for having her own talk show was to practice her love of talking and “bring people together.” More recently, though, the American Idol winner hasn’t held back in saying that her demanding talk show schedule has prevented her from performing at concerts as frequently as she'd like As Clarkons's eponymous talk show enters its seventh season, let's lay out what's now being said about Clarkson's alleged plans as well as well as other variables that have been reported upon.

What Are Sources Now Saying About Kelly Clarkson?

Multiple outlets have reported that the Clarkson's eponymous show is back in production, with the crew proceeding with work as per usual. At the same time, another rumor on the talk show's future comes by way of Globe Magazine. An insider for that outlet claims Clarkson isn't too excited about getting back to work:

What should be stressed here is that the claims above should be taken with a massive grain of salt. As of this writing, Kelly Clarkson has only discussed the challenges of doing her talk show and has not publicly expressed a desire to actually leave the program. So, at this point, any report claiming Clarkson is ready to walk away shouldn't be viewed as the gospel truth.

There are also other key details to be taken into account in this situation. One of the biggest is that recently, Kelly Clarkson experienced a significant family tragedy, which some sources allege has had an impact on her mindset as of late.

Kelly Clarkson Was Absent From Show Tapings Ahead Of Ex-Husband Brandon Blackstock's Death

This past spring, many made note of Kelly Clarkson's absences from her talk show, as she wasn't around even when the series was about to hit its 1,000th episode. As a result, fans became worried about the host’s status. In time, sources attributed the time off to Clarkson's ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, having been ill and her reportedly taking their kids to see him. However, the reports about Blackstock's health were not confirmed or denied officially at that time.

Unfortunately, Brandon Blackstock passed away from cancer in August. Following Blackstock's death, sources shared claims involving Clarkson's feelings about returning to work. None of this can be confirmed, but it was alleged that Clarkson was “looking forward” to getting back to her busy routine to get her mind off her ex's passing. Still, as far as Clarkson's purported feelings towards her career go, insiders still allege that she wants off her show.

What is definitely known about Clarkson's career path is that her talk show contract expires in 2026, per People. So, at the very least, she will have the option to decide whether she wants to continue with the show or not. All the while, Clarkson also returning to The Voice for season 29, and she has her Vegas residency tour, which will continue in November.

Those who'd like a definitive answer on the future of The Kelly Clarkson Show will have to wait for now amid the flood of unverified rumors. In the meantime, know that Season 7 premieres on September 29th, so check your local listings to see what time it airs in your market.

It’s undoubtedly been a hard month for Kelly Clarkson, following the August 7 death of her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock, and she’s taken some time over the past few weeks to be with her children and start the healing process. With the new season of her talk show premiering on the 2025 TV schedule later this month, however, the time has come to get back to work. Now, an insider is weighing in on how Clarkson allegedly feels about that.

The Kelly Clarkson Show is going into production of Season 7 on September 8, with some big names lined up. With everything that the host has been through — canceled concerts, rumors about why she was missing tapings, etc., not to mention her two kids losing their father — one has to wonder if she’s ready to get back to the grind. A source for Star alleges that she is, saying:

Getting back to a routine can be a big help in the grieving process, and it sounds like Kelly Clarkson is allegedly hoping that getting back to The Kelly Clarkson Show will help take her mind off of what she and her family have been through.

Brandon Blackstock and Kelly Clarkson split in 2020, with their divorce being finalized in 2022 after a long court battle. Blackstock was diagnosed with cancer soon after, which reportedly shifted the American Idol alum's focus to helping their two young children cope. Over the years, she respected Blackstock’s privacy by not sharing his health struggles, even when it caused rumors to be spread that Clarkson wanted to leave TV. Now, however, the missed talk show appearances and postponed concerts make a lot of sense.

The upcoming season of Clarkson's eponymous talk show promises to be eventful. Here the guests that have been announced thus far:

• Emily Blunt
• Marion Cotillard
• Colin Farrell
• Scarlett Johansson
• Dwayne Johnson
• Matthew McConaughey
• Lionel Richie
• Julia Roberts
• Shonda Rhimes
• Margot Robbie
• Sylvester Stallone
• Channing Tatum
• Reese Witherspoon

In addition to starting production on the new season of the Emmy-winning Kelly Clarkson Show, the singer also returned to The Voice after missing some episodes in the days that followed her ex-husband’s passing. Carson Daly opened up about supporting her and Reba McEntire — who was Brandon Blackson’s stepmother — during this difficult time.

Hopefully, Kelly Clarkson is OK to resume her hosting duties. As one of the most relatable celebrities, there may be a chance Clarkson even addresses the issue on her show now that everything has been made public. At the very least, I’m expecting some super emotional “Kellyoke” performances. She’s made reference to Brandon Blackstock in those segments before, but I imagine that now her emotions could be even more complicated.

Tune in for the Season 7 premiere on Monday, September 29. Check your local listings for time and channel.

At the beginning of August, Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, died of cancer. Right before that happened, the singer postponed her shows in Las Vegas to be with her family, and since then, we’ve gotten updates here and there about how this tragic life change is impacting her career. However, one project that will continue as planned is The Kelly Clarkson Show, as its Season 7 premiere was just announced.

It’s official, The Kelly Clarkson Show will return to the 2025 TV schedule on Monday, September 29. According to Deadline, the series will be back for its seventh season very soon, and it will go back into production the week of September 8.

According to the report, the host has a stacked lineup of guests, too, as it includes:

• Emily Blunt
• Marion Cotillard
• Colin Farrell
• Scarlett Johansson
• Dwayne Johnson
• Matthew McConaughey
• Lionel Richie
• Julia Roberts
• Shonda Rhimes
• Margot Robbie
• Sylvester Stallone
• Channing Tatum
• Reese Witherspoon

These folks will no doubt be on the show to promote their 2025 movie releases, like Robbie’s A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, and projects on the 2025 TV schedule, like Stallone’s Tulsa King.

I’m sure The Kelly Clarkson Show’s return will also mark the return of the beloved Kellyoke segment, too.

It was also reported that she’ll spotlight those who helped during the Texas floods this summer. This comes after the "Stronger" singer canceled a performance at Miranda Lambert’s Texas flood relief following the death of her ex-husband.

So, all around this is exciting news, and I can’t wait to see Kelly Clarkson’s return. It’s also a very happy update amid what has been a very hard and tragic summer for the singer and her family.

Blackstock, who co-parented two young children, River (11) and Remington (9), with his ex-wife, battled cancer for over three years before passing away in August. Before that, it had been rumored that he was ill, as Clarkson missed tapings of her show for a “private matter.”

However, after his death, an insider shared that she "tried to keep things classy" for her children, explaining that she was reportedly "devastated" for them.

Along with canceling concerts, the pop star missed tapings of The Voice in the wake of Blackstock’s death. However, it was only a temporary absence, as Deadline reported that she did return to work. She’s set to appear on Season 29 of the show, which will air in the spring of 2026.

Now, as I’m sure Clarkson and her family continue to deal with this tragic life change, work will continue. She is back on The Voice, and now we know that her talk show will return, too. So, make sure you catch The Kelly Clarkson Show when it returns to NBC on Monday, September 29.

NBC has been filling some of the last weeks before the fall lineup of the 2025 TV schedule picks up with Songs & Stories with Kelly Clarkson, but I definitely wouldn't describe the four-part series as "filler." The first three episodes featured the daytime talk show host interviewing fellow music legends about their lives and careers, starting with The Jonas Brothers, moving on with Gloria Estefan, and most recently continuing with Teddy Swims. Swims and Clarkson dueted on several of his songs, and those performances leave me wanting one thing by the end of Songs & Stories. I need an album of all these duets!

I enjoyed seeing Clarkson singing with The Jonas Brothers even more than their story of Nick's "brutal" injury, and fell in love with how her voice melded with Gloria Estefan's. I wasn't as familiar with Teddy Swims prior to the latest episode of Songs & Stories (which will be available streaming with a Peacock subscription), so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Suffice it to say that I was very happy with the finished product! The pair dueted on "The Door," "Some Things I'll Never Know," "Rock With You," and "God Went Crazy."

NBC's Instagram post of "The Door" performance called me out by identifying it as "your newest obsession." In all seriousness, take a look:

I knew Kelly Clarkson could cover pretty much any genre thanks to her "Kellyoke" performances, but it's still been kind of amazing to see how well she can blend with other artists. The fourth and final guest of Songs & Stories will be Lizzo, so viewers have one more chance to see Clarkson adapting her voice to another artist's.

And dang it, I'd love to have a full album of Kelly Clarkson's duets from all four episodes of Songs & Stories! Even if the songs were no longer than the smaller segments that are featured on the show, I'd probably have them on repeat. As somebody who watched Kelly Clarkson on American Idol as a youngster back in the day, I love seeing how far she's gone in the industry, and how great she sounds with other artists.

I'm not holding out hope for such an album, since surely there are a lot of hoops to jump through to bring all of these artists together for one finished product, but I will at least cross my fingers a little extra tightly that these first four episodes of Songs & Stories will be enough of a success on NBC that the network orders a second season.

Clarkson did step away from the limelight (and The Voice) in August due to the death of her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, postponing her Las Vegas shows to be with her family in such a difficult time. For now, we can all look forward to the fourth and final episode of Songs & Stories with Kelly Clarkson, featuring Lizzo. It remains to be seen whether the two artists will touch on any of the controversies in Lizzo's career, but I feel comfortable predicting one thing: any duets will sound great.

After Kelly Clarkson welcomed the Jonas Brothers to NBC's Songs & Stories last week in the 2025 TV schedule, none other than Gloria Estefan joined the first American Idol champion this week to talk about her life and career. Having seen the On Your Feet! jukebox musical based on her story, I was excited to hear from the music legend herself and, of course, hear her duet with Clarkson. I wasn't disappointed by how fantastic the two women sounded together, but I wasn't prepared for the awestruck look on Clarkson's face that I absolutely love.

The two women performed several songs together during Gloria Estefan's installment of Songs & Stories, which will be available streaming next day with a Peacock subscription. Kelly Clarkson shared that the song she was most excited for was "Mi Tierra" (despite being nervous that she'd screw up the Spanish lyrics), and "Get On Your Feet" was the first of the episode. I was prepared for the first to be my favorite, but then the two divas got to "Turn the Beat Around" and won my heart for the night.

Like Kelly Clarkson, I also didn't realize that "Turn the Beat Around" had been performed by Vicki Sue Robinson before Gloria Estefan recorded her own version. The women's voices melded beautifully, and I'd love to have all of their duets released just to listen to on repeat. For "Turn the Beat Around," their performance also needs to be seen to be fully appreciated with Estefan's husband and family sitting in the audience. Take a look:

Kelly Clarkson's expressions may be somewhat understated as a TV and music pro, but she seemed more awestruck by Estefan than she was by the Jonas Brothers last week despite them performing the song that mentions her name. She also seemed more comfortable singing with the music legend for "Turn the Beat Around," after appearing a little stiffer during "On Your Feet" as their first song of the night. All in all, I found it very endearing to see THE Kelly Clarkson looking like she couldn't believe her luck to perform with Gloria Estefan. She was even up out of her seat at the very end.

Since Clarkson has been demonstrating her versatility as a singer with her "Kellyoke" segments on her talk show and even her Las Vegas residency, seeing her sing on Songs & Stories was just lovely. As far as I'm concerned, her voice blended wonderfully with Estefan's, and I'm not sure that any of the remaining guests could do any better as the four-part series continues. But we can find out!

The next episode of Songs & Stories airs on Tuesday, September 2 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC, with Kelly Clarkson welcoming Teddy Swims onto the stage, presumably to break down his career and turn some of his biggest hits into duets. The fourth and final installment will showcase Lizzo.

Kelly Clarkson has been laying low since the death of her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock, as she postponed her residency in Las Vegas and temporarily stepped away from The Voice in order to be with the two children she and Blackstock shared. The talk show host undoubtedly has her own grieving to do, despite splitting from the former music manager five years ago, and it seems she’s made a small (but pricey) purchase that feels appropriate for her healing journey.

The American Idol winner was spotted at LAX on August 23 — her first public sighting since Brandon Blackstock’s August 7 passing — seemingly trying to fly below the radar in an all-black fit, complete with sunglasses and a black cowboy hat, per Page Six. One piece of jewelry caught the eye, however, as she sported a Le Stelle Tarot Card pendant from Sorellina. You can see the piece on the jeweler’s Instagram page:

The pendant retails for a whopping $22,500, but represents a lot that would befit Kelly Clarkson’s healing journey. According to the product description, the Star card means hope, inspiration, positivity, renewal, healing and rejuvenation.

The card is made from 18-karat yellow gold with a black onyx background and includes sapphires, tsavorite and diamonds.

I love that Kelly Clarkson (presumably) treated herself to this piece after what she’s been through privately and publicly this year. The singer didn’t divulge that Brandon Blackstock was sick, choosing to maintain his privacy, which led to much speculation about why she was missing tapings of The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Now she’s seemingly focused on healing, undoubtedly for herself and her children. That makes her purchase so fitting, as the website description goes into further detail about the Tarot card’s meaning:

Only Kelly Clarkson knows for sure what new opportunities she’d be open to at this point, but we know she’s returning for at least one more season of her Emmy-winning daytime talk show, and she’ll be back as a coach on The Voice for the revamped 29th season airing on NBC in February 2026.

Meanwhile, Reba McEntire — who was married to Brandon Blackstock’s father from 1989 to 2015 — also took some time away from the singing competition, as she is a coach on Season 28, which is filming simultaneously with Kelly Clarkson’s season and will hit the 2025 TV schedule on Monday, September 22. The queen of country paid tribute to her stepson, saying there was “no one else like him.”

Brandon Blackstock’s family is clearly hurting after his long battle with cancer, and we can only hope they are able to start healing now.