Kelly Clarkson Considers Quitting Her Daytime Talk Show To Spend More Time With Kids, NBC Scrambles To Keep Her on Air
Kelly Clarkson, the Grammy-winning singer and host of "The Kelly Clarkson Show," is reportedly considering stepping away from her daytime talk show to prioritize her family.
Sources close to the situation revealed that Clarkson, 42, hopes to leave the program when her contract with NBC expires next year. This decision stems from the singer's desire to spend more time with her two children, River Rose, 10, and Remy, 8.
"Kelly's number one priority is her children, and they always will be," a source with knowledge of the conversation told Page Six. "The show is grueling. It's a whole lot of work, and I hear that Kelly would like to spend more time down South."
News of her plans to leave the network comes after Clarkson's recent two-week absence from the talk show due to "personal matters." Guest hosts Andy Cohen, Simu Liu, and Kal Penn stepped in to cover for her.
It also comes after Clarkson struck a personal chord after admitting that she felt "lost, alone, a lot" over the show's six seasons during its 1,000th episode. She also seemingly alluded to her tumultuous divorce from former manager Brandon Blackstock in 2020, which followed seven years of marriage.
NBC is reportedly exploring various options to keep Clarkson within their fold. Suggestions include offering her a co-hosting role on "Today" alongside Jenna Bush Hager or involving her in special holiday programming like "Christmas in Rockefeller Center." However, insiders have noted that these roles may not align with Clarkson's goal of achieving a better work-life balance.
Despite strong ratings and critical acclaim—The Kelly Clarkson Show has won multiple Daytime Emmy Awards—sources indicate that the program is expensive to produce and operates on tight profit margins.
"The Kelly Clarkson Show" has been renewed for a seventh season in December 2024, which means the country singer would likely be on NBC's slate until 2026.
