Kelly Clarkson is at the center of various rumors regarding the state of her eponymous talk show. Insiders have claimed that the 43-year-old singer and media personality is strongly considering walking away from her daytime series after her contract with NBC expires in 2026. Such claims have not been substantiated by Clarkson herself. This speculation persists months after the Grammy winner missed multiple tapings of her show and, now, an insider has claims regarding Clarkson’s feelings following those absences.
It was in March that The Kelly Clarkson Show was without its host for nearly two weeks. At the time, it said that Clarkson had to step away for a “private matter.” Since then, sources have alleged that the singer’s ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, was ill and that she took their two children to visit him. Regardless of the true cause, Clarkson’s absences from the tapings caught a lot of attention, and an unnamed insider alleged to Page Six that the entire situation wasn’t easy for her, but was necessary:
This has all been very painful for her. The difficulty is that Kelly, like all of us, wants to be liked, and she had to deal with this new moment in her life. She knew she had to step down for a minute.
In the “Breakaway” performer’s absence, a number of notable celebrities – like Brooke Shields and Andy Cohen – filled in. Page Six’s insider didn’t give any precise reason as to why Kelly Clarkson had to step away from her show back in March but did emphasize that the American Idol alum has always prioritized family. The source also claimed that the multihyphenate did gain something invaluable from the experience:
She has her priorities, and her family comes first, but I think she’s been humbled by the whole situation… what has happened has given her a moment of clarity, I think.
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As for the rumors involving the “Since U Been Gone” singer leaving her talk show, that chatter seemingly began to pick up steam in early April. Sources alleged that there were behind-the-scenes issues, as the talk show host was supposedly having a hard time dealing with her busy schedule. The star herself even got real about her tough schedule when addressing a crowd amid a performance at Atlantic City’s Hard Rock Live in Etess Arena.
While Kelly Clarkson has gone into specifics about her plans, one of her show’s producers spoke out anonymously. They admitted to “not feeling too stable” about their job security amid rumors of Clarkson’s exit. During that interview, the employee also commented on the rumor that former Today host Hoda Kotb might replace Clarkson as host. Kotb addressed those rumors when she returned to her old stomping grounds and shut down the notion of jumping into daytime TV.
It goes without saying that there remains uncertainty as The Kelly Clarkson Show continues its run. As of this writing, there’s been no indication as to whether Clarkson herself will address the various reports involving her absences and her professional future directly. In the meantime, avid fans will just have to wait and see how the situation unfolds.
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