As rumors continue to swirl that Kelly Clarkson is set to exit her eponymous and wildly successful talk show, more details are coming out about the private matter behind-the-scenes.
The original American Idol first caused worry among viewers and fans when she was out for an extended period of time from early to mid-March, with a series of celebs filling in as guest hosts during Clarkson’s absence. One star, Simu Liu, even told the audience exactly how last minute his guest hosting duties were.
“I did not know that I was doing this until about five minutes ago when I arrived to promote my new movie Last Breath, he reportedly told the audience at the time, adding: “I’m here now, and look, I’m not one to back down from a challenge.”
While it is unclear as to why Clarkson is reportedly slated to leave her show, rumors have swirled that it’s due to a “private matter” or a “family emergency.” The “Behind These Hazel Eyes” singer has not publicly explained the reason for her absence, nor the rumors she is quitting the highly-rated talk show.
Per a new article from Page Six, sources told the outlet that this has not been an easy process for Clarkson.
“This has all been very painful for her,” the insider said. “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 added, not elaborating on the specifics of “the whole situation.”
Clarkson, who shares 10-year-old daughter River Rose and 8-year-old son Remy with ex-husband Brandon Blackstock, has weathered her fair share of headline-making stories while hosting the show. She has not shied away from how difficult and tumultuous her divorce was, and the impact it continued to have on her. She also did not hold back when speaking with Whoopi Goldberg about using a weight loss medication to reclaim her body.
The “Stronger” singer even famously moved her talk show from Los Angeles to New York — a decision, she toldSeth Meyers in 2023, that was based on the fact that she “really needed a fresh start, on a personal note.”
“I don’t know if I’ve ever done the show this happy before,” she said at the time.
