Back in July, we reported that Kelly Clarkson’s own staffers on her eponymous talk show The Kelly Clarkson Show had turned on her because of her behavior on set. One month later, Clarkson’s ex-husband Brandon Blackstock, who is the father of her two young children, passed away after a private battle with cancer.
Now, Clarkson’s staffers are speaking out to express their regrets about turning on her. They had no idea that Blackstock was even sick prior to his death. In the wake of his passing, Clarkson’s behavior makes perfect sense to them.
Clarkson’s Own Staffers Turn On Her
Throughout the first half of 2025, Clarkson’s staffers spent much of their time complaining about the original American Idol winner. Indeed, they claimed that she was “flaky” and that she had “checked out” of her daytime talk show. The staffers even took to proofreading one another’s resumes as morale on set plummeted.
“We were seeing speculation in the media that Kelly was going to quit and be replaced by Hoda Kotb,” one staffer told Daily Mail.
“So we were all looking for other jobs,” the staffer continued. “We forwarded job postings to each other, networked for each other. A lot of people were ready to bolt. No disrespect to Hoda, but we didn’t know what was happening or if there would even be a job for us.”
Things got even worse when Clarkson inexplicably vanished for several days back in March. Staffers were only told that Clarkson was dealing with a “family emergency” as celebrities like Brooke Shields filled in as guest hosts. When Clarkson finally returned, she seemed more distant than ever.
“It was just such a difference from how she had been before,” the staffer recalled. “It was hard for people to not take it personally. Like what did we do to suddenly be ignored like this?”
Clarkson’s Staffers Learn The Truth
It wasn’t until August, when Blackstock died at the age of 48, that staffers finally realized what was happening.
“Suddenly, it was all clear to everyone,” the staffer admitted. “And boy, did we feel like [expletive]. We judged Kelly too soon. We didn’t see what she was going through, we made it all about us. It just goes to show that you should never jump to conclusions. You just never know.”
Three months later, Clarkson has reportedly returned to the woman that she was before on the set of her talk show.
“She’s so much more talkative again,” the staffer concluded. “She’ll stop by our desks and make conversation, ask about family members, gossip and make jokes. It’s like the old Kelly is back again. She has been dearly missed.”
Clarkson And Blackstock’s History
Clarkson, 43, and Blackstock were married from 2013 until she filed for divorce in 2020. It wasn’t until 2022 that their divorce was finalized. It took so long because the former couple bitterly fought over everything from custody to finances to property.
Since it’s known that Blackstock battled cancer for three years prior to his death, he would have been diagnosed with cancer around the time his divorce was finalized. Despite the animosity between them, Clarkson reportedly feels guilty in the wake of Blackstock’s death. Indeed, she can’t help but wonder if the stress of their divorce contributed to him getting sick.
“Kelly is aware of talk that stress can impact the body and make someone more susceptible to cancer,” another insider told Daily Mail days after Blackstock’s death. “Although the timing could be purely coincidental, she knows how much tension the divorce and lawsuits put on them.”
“She doesn’t blame herself but she’s conscious that the double whammy of the divorce and the fact that he had to repay her millions of dollars was very tough on him,” the source continued.
Clarkson Focused On Her Children
Moving forward, Clarkson is focused on the two children that she shares with Blackstock: a daughter River Rose, 11, and a son Remington, 9.
“She separated her personal feelings about Brandon after the divorce, and she progressed from there,” the insider added. “While it was frustrating to deal with him in divorce, once the cancer came into the situation, she felt bad. It took a toll on her because she had to think of her kids’ feelings and to protect them.”
“Now that he is gone, she doesn’t feel great,” the source concluded. “But being there for her kids is helping her to cope with the onslaught of emotions.”
This all serves as a reminder that you never know what someone is secretly going through behind the scenes. We’re glad that Clarkson’s staffers are admitting that turning on her was a mistake.
Please join us in saying a prayer for Clarkson and her children as they continue to mourn Blackstock!