Daytime television is officially in a new era following the end of The Kelly Clarkson Show amid the 2026 TV schedule. The American Idol winner announced earlier this year that she’d be stepping away from her Emmy-winning series to put more focus on her kids. Of course, now that Clarkson is off the air after its seven-year run, alternative programming has to be added in its place in different markets. So what’s it been replaced by?
NBC-owned stations are beginning to share details on how they will update their schedules after The Kelly Clarkson Show, Access Hollywood, and Access Daily wrap. When it comes to Clarkson specifically, viewers in different regions will be watching different shows instead. Per News Cast Studio, NBC New York will be airing News Zone during the daytime talk show’s former slot at 3 p.m. ET. The program is described as “news, as it happens; raw coverage and inside access from the tri-state and beyond.”
Meanwhile, NBC Chicago, NBC Boston, and NBC South Florida will be airing a repeat of Dateline in Kelly’s place, and NBC Philadelphia will be airing a simulcast of WCAU’s streaming news feed. As for NBC San Diego, it will replace The Kelly Clarkson Show with a simulcast of NBC News Now’s Hallie Jackson Now at 2 p.m. local time, with NBC Bay Area airing a new local newscast in the daytime talk show’s timeslot.
After Kelly Clarkson’s Show Ended, A Producer Weighed In On What Made Her Such A Great Host
Even though it’s been a few days since The Kelly Clarkson Show aired its emotional finale, it’s still hard to imagine anything else airing in its timeslot. Production on the talk show wrapped earlier this year, with many of the crew members commemorating their time on the show. now, the notion of the show's conclusion feels even more real now that NBC-owned stations are beginning to replace it.
Luckily, when it comes to daytime talk shows, there are still other offerings. Jennifer Hudson is holding down the fort with The Jennifer Hudson Show. Previously, Hudson spoke about both Kelly Clarkson and Sherri ending, and she just wants to make both Clarkson and Sherri Shepherd proud while also cheering them on. Both daytime and late-night talk shows have seen changes due to the shifting TV landscape though, hopefully, they'll both remain intact for the foreseeable future.
As for The Kelly Clarkson Show, it went out with a bang, and not just because it was nominated for several Emmys for its final outing. Clarkson was joined by her kids, River and Remy, for the finale, and they paid loving tribute to their mom. While fans were frustrated by her “buzzkill” final summer, Clarkson's final show was well worth the wait. The episode was filled with Kellyoke, highlights of the last seven years and much more.
It's honestly going to take some time for me to get used to the fact that Clarkson is no longer on the air and that other programming is taking her show's place. However, I'm also comforted by the notion of her having been able to step away from her show on her own terms.
