Last month, we reported that The Kelly Clarkson Show had descended into chaos. Indeed, it was being claimed that “heartbroken” staffers were threatening to quit the popular talk show after slamming host Kelly Clarkson for being “ungrateful.”
Now, things have gotten even worse at The Kelly Clarkson Show. Insiders are saying that Clarkson herself may leave the show over “very painful” personal issues.
Clarkson’s ‘Very Painful’ Ordeal
Rumors have been swirling that Clarkson, 43, is considering leaving her eponymous talk show once her contract expires in 2026. Insiders are saying that she recently experienced a “‘moment of clarity” after some unknown personal struggles.
“This has all been very painful for her,” an industry insider who has worked closely with Clarkson told Page Six. “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.”
“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,” the source continued.
Clarkson’s Difficult Divorce
Clarkson spent years going through a very public and painful divorce from her former husband and manager Brandan Blackstock. She split from him in 2020, but their divorce wasn’t finalized until 2022. They share two young children: a daughter River, who is almost 11, and a son Remy, nine.
“Kelly grew up without a father, and she had an incredible love story with Brandon,” explained a second source who is a close friend of Clarkson’s.
“She is a compassionate and caring person, and what has happened [recently] has helped her to move beyond the divorce,” this source added.
Blackstock, who is no longer Clarkson’s manager, helped broker the lucrative deal behind both her talk show and her time on the NBC reality singing competition The Voice. Indeed, she was paid $10 million per season as a coach on The Voice. Clarkson is believed to be making even more than that for her talk show.
“The irony is that he’s had a very positive influence on her life; he made these phenomenal deals for her, and she wouldn’t be here without him. But it’s hard to be a manager and a husband,” the industry insider stated. “At the time, she greatly appreciated what he had done for her career.”
Clarkson’s Unexplained Absence From Talk Show
Clarkson was inexplicably absent from The Kelly Clarkson Show from March 3 to March 18. A series of celebrities filled in for her, with some of them being Andy Cohen, Wanda Sykes and Brooke Shields.
Clarkson never revealed exactly why she missed the shows. The only explanation that was given was that she was dealing with unspecified “personal reasons.” When she finally returned on March 20 for The Kelly Clarkson Show’s 1000 episode, Clarkson became emotional as she said, “We’ve created a community and supported each other through a lot of ups and downs. A lot of ups and downs personally as well.”
In the months since then, Clarkson has allegedly behaved emotionally and erratically on her talk show’s set. This has left her staffers feeling uneasy and preparing themselves for the worst.
“Not feeling too stable,” one Kelly Clarkson Show producer told Daily Mail last month. “She could bolt at any time. Where does that leave me?”
“Stressed is an understatement,” the producer added. “No one likes the uncertainty. This feels like it could collapse any minute.”
Full Story: Kelly Clarkson Talk Show Descends Into Chaos As Staffers Beg Her To Quit – ‘Could Collapse Any Minute’
Clarkson’s Potential Replacement
Meanwhile, it’s been rumored that the former Today host Hoda Kotb, 60, is being eyed to replace Clarkson.
Everyone loves Kelly,” the producer explained. “She’s a wonderful person. But maybe Hoda would be a better boss. I know she’s universally beloved and respected by her former coworkers. Maybe she would be good. She sure would be a lot more stable than what we’ve been going through.”
“If Kelly is unhappy, then she should move on,” the producer continued. “We would all understand. If Hoda wants to do it, it could be win-win for everyone.”
The Kelly Clarkson Show is one of the most popular daytime talk shows on television right now. Should Clarkson leave the program, it would certainly send shockwaves through the world of daytime TV.
Only time will tell if Clarkson will actually renew her contract when it expires next year!
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