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Credit: The Kelly Clarkson Show
The Kelly Clarkson Show is set to air its final episode on the 2026 TV schedule later this year, giving the eponymous host more time to focus on her children following the death of their father, Brandon Blackstock. Just because it was her decision to quit the show, however, doesn’t make it a whole lot easier, and Kelly Clarkson opened up recently about the stress that comes with “job loss.”
Kelly Clarkson got real about her decision to end her talk show after seven years while speaking on Sirius XM’s Morning Mashup, and, apparently, even being rich and famous doesn’t shield you from the pains of making such a huge change. She said (via ET):
There’s job loss. And I think that’s the thing that kind of got me, that was hard for me. But at the same time, it had to be a family decision.
Job loss is one of the most stressful things a person can go through in life, along with the death of a loved one and moving, so Kelly Clarkson and her two children — 11-year-old River and 9-year-old Remington — have had quite an eventful few years.
However, it’s not like the American Idol OG doesn’t know where her next paycheck is coming from. Kelly Clarkson said she’ll continue to do things she loves, like make music and perform, and she’ll likely continue to pop up as a coach on The Voice every once in a while. Not having to worry about finances takes away a good bit of the pressure that makes job loss so stressful to people, but she also pointed out that she had to consider what her decision meant for her talk show’s crew, who — let’s not forget — relocated from Los Angeles to New York less than three years ago.
It just all comes back to doing what’s best for her kids, and you’ve got to respect Kelly Clarkson putting motherhood above all of her other jobs and making sure she’s more present with them during this terrible time. She’s spoken a bit about how River and Remy are doing since Brandon Blackstock died in August after a long, private battle with cancer. Apparently, they’ve been getting lots of snuggle time in, as Clarkson has been letting them sleep in her bed.
As for what will happen to The Kelly Clarkson Show’s coveted timeslot, no official decision has yet been made. As rumors spread last year that Kelly Clarkson wanted to leave TV, Hoda Kotb’s name was said to be on a list of possible replacements, as she’d exited The Today Show months earlier. However, Kotb personally denied the reports, and that was long before she returned to NBC to fill in for Savannah Guthrie as she continues to deal with the disappearance of her 84-year-old mother.
The latest speculation is that P!nk may be tapped to fill Kelly Clarkson’s spot, as the “So What” singer will serve as a guest host on The Kelly Clarkson Show this week. It’s certainly possible that this is an audition of sorts to see if P!nk is a good fit to take over full time.
Check your local listings to see when The Kelly Clarkson Show airs in your area, not just for P!nk’s upcoming episodes but to see Kelly Clarkson’s final days during this stressful time.