Kelly Clarkson may be rethinking her future in daytime television, and those close to her believe her personal life, including the aftermath of her painful divorce from Brandon Blackstock, could be playing a major role in that decision.
The singer and Emmy-winning host, 43, reportedly had a “moment of clarity” during her recent, unannounced break from The Kelly Clarkson Show, which ran from March 3 to March 18.
According to a source who spoke to Page Six and claims to have worked closely with Clarkson, the experience has been anything but easy.
“This has all been very painful for her,” the insider shared. “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.”
While the details behind the short hiatus remain private, the source suggested that the challenges she’s been facing helped shift her focus.
“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.”
Clarkson, who shares two children — River, almost 11, and Remy, nine — with her ex-husband, went through a widely publicized and emotional divorce. The split from Blackstock, who also served as her manager and helped launch her talk show as well as guide her time as a coach on The Voice, appears to have left a lasting impact.
A reported friend told the outlet, “Kelly grew up without a father, and she had an incredible love story with Brandon. She is a compassionate and caring person, and what has happened [recently] has helped her to move beyond the divorce.”
During her break from the show, celebrity guest hosts like Andy Cohen, Wanda Sykes, and Brooke Shields were brought in to fill her seat. But on March 20, during a heartfelt moment on the show’s 1000th episode, Clarkson appeared visibly moved as she addressed the audience.
“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,” she said.
Although she hasn’t released any new music in nearly two years, Clarkson may be considering a return to her first love, singing.
At a concert in Atlantic City on May 9, she told the crowd, “We haven’t done a [singing] show in a while, y’all, cause I have a talk show. It’s like a whole other job.”
She added, “We are bummed ‘cause we love doing [singing] shows, and it’s hard to fit it in.”
With her own music label, High Road Records, launched in 2024, and a Las Vegas residency, Kelly Clarkson: Studio Sessions, kicking off on July 4, it’s clear that music is still close to her heart. The residency runs through August 16, with additional shows set for November 7 through 15.
While it remains uncertain whether Clarkson will walk away from her NBC talk show when her contract ends in 2026, those around her suggest that a shift in priorities, shaped by personal healing and a desire to focus on family and music, could ultimately guide that decision.
