Kelly Clarkson Reportedly Eyes Exit From 'Grueling' Talk Show As Bosses Scramble To Keep Her 'Happy'

Kelly Clarkson is eyeing an exit from her talk show, "The Kelly Clarkson Show," as reports suggest she's looking to spend more time with her children.

The singer was absent from the program for a span of two weeks in March, leaving guest hosts, including Andy Cohen, Simu Liu, and Kal Penn, to step in for her.

Kelly Clarkson finalized her divorce from ex-husband Brandon Blackstock in March 2022 and previously admitted that she "did not handle [the divorce] well."

Rumors are swirling around the future of Clarkson and her popular daytime talk show, "The Kelly Clarkson Show," as sources suggest she's contemplating leaving both the show and her current residence in New York City.

According to Page Six, insiders explained that the "Wrapped In Red" singer wants to quit the show to spend more time with daughter River Rose and son Remy.

Meanwhile, it is understood that NBC executives are doing their all to keep her happy in order for her to reconsider her decision to step down from the role she has been helming since 2019.

"Kelly's number one priority is her children, and they always will be," an industry source told the news outlet about Clarkson. "The show is grueling. It's a whole lot of work, and I hear that Kelly would like to spend more time down South."

A source explained that NBC would like to ensure that Clarkson is still on the network to host holiday specials like "Christmas in Rockefeller Center," as another tagged it "a tough job."

Clarkson, who relocated to New York City for the show's production, was noticeably absent from her hosting duties last month for a span of about two weeks.

It was later revealed that the reason for her absence was that she had to handle a "personal matter" at the time, with guest hosts like Andy Cohen, Simu Liu, and Kal Penn needing to step in for her.

The "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" singer was said to be "completely fine" but had been "dealing with a personal matter that does not directly involve her," sources told TMZ at the time.

However, the news outlet reported that the undisclosed matter "isn't a cause for alarm."

Simu Liu, who filled in for Clarkson during the March 3 show, sparked concern when he revealed that he had only learned about the gig just "five minutes" before taking the stage.

"Kelly actually isn't able to make it today," he said at the time, per Page Six.

The actor continued, "We are sending her our very best, and here's the thing: I did not know that I was doing this until about five minutes ago when I arrived here to promote my new movie, 'Last Breath.'"

Clarkson shortly returned for the March 4 and 5 episodes, but it remains unknown when they were filmed.

Clarkson returned to the set of the show in celebration of its 1000th episode, where she gave an emotional speech in which she admitted to fans that she has "lost, alone, a lot" throughout the past six years.

"We have laughed together, we have cried together with beautiful stories, sang together with some people, danced together, celebrated and competed together. I've lost, alone, a lot," she said.

The "Stronger" singer, however, assured her audience that "It's OK!" and reminded them of the "community" they have created as she thanked them for lending and finding "comfort in one another."

Clarkson has previously opened up about how tough it was to go through her divorce from ex-husband Brandon Blackstock, with whom she shares her two children.

The pair first met at a rehearsal for the Academy of Country Music Awards in May 2006 but wed in October 2013 before Clarkson filed for divorce from the music manager in 2020, citing irreconcilable differences.

Speaking to People Magazine in January 2024, Clarkson called her divorce from Blackstock "extraordinarily hard."

"You feel alone, and it's just a blessing to be able to have that outlet for those emotions that are overwhelming," she said, referencing her album "Chemistry."

Back in 2020, she revealed that the well-being of her children was far more important to her than "anything else on this planet."

"The thing that's been kind of hard to navigate is I am an open book, but at some point, I'm a mama bear more than I am a person in the public eye," Clarkson said. "So I care 100 percent more about my children than I do anything else on this planet."