Kelly Clarkson Back On Hosting Duties Weeks After Brandon Blackstock's death

Kelly Clarkson rises above her grief as she bravely hosts her first show since Brandon Blackstock's death!

The singer is back in the big chair for the seventh season of "The Kelly Clarkson Show" weeks after her ex-husband lost the battle to cancer, leaving behind two kids they shared.

Kelly Clarkson filed for divorce from Brandon Blackstock in 2020, citing irreconcilable differences, seven years after they tied the knot at an intimate ceremony in Tennessee.

The singer immediately hit the ground running as the production team rolled the tapes for the start of an eventful season. However, the actress reportedly kept her composure as the taping went on, barely addressing her late ex's death.

The premiere show featured several highlights, including an emotional segment from the victims of the Texas flooding, who told their stories. Things quickly shifted as Clarkson welcomed new mom Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell, as they promoted their new film "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey." 

Clarkson rounded up the show with a powerful rendition of The Weekend's "Blinding Lights", and production could not get enough of the set. Music director Jason Halbert promised that Clarkson would be speaking a lot through songs on the show.

As reported by The Daily Mail, the show has been on hiatus since June, and celebrity guests such as Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Sylvester Stallone, and Matthew McConaughey will make appearances in this new season.

The Blast shared that the former manager's stepmother, and country music icon Reba McEntire, who is also the grandmother to Blackstock and Clarkson's kids, stressed how much the family missed him. 

She revealed that his four kids, two with Clarkson and another two from his first ex-wife, Melissa Ashworth, are all finding a way around their loss. "The kids are doing well; they're all bonding together and hanging out with each other and taking it one day at a time," McEntire stated.

Sources close to Blackstock's family stated that he died while surrounded by love and support from his family members. As for Clarkson, navigating Blackstock's sickness while raising their two kids left her in a vulnerable state, and now the singer has come to terms with her new reality as a single mother.

When the former couple went their separate ways five years ago, the vocalist reportedly remained calm amid all the drama that followed and ensured the kids never saw the ugly side of their dad.

A source close to the singer affirmed that she never poisoned the minds of the kids against their father and ensured their relationship remained intact and sacred. At the point of his death, the singer discontinued the rest of her Vegas residency to be there for her children and offer them necessary support.

The star reportedly even nursed some beliefs that the stress from their messy divorce may have exposed her ex-husband to more health complications, which ultimately led to the terminal disease.

Blackstock battled an aggressive form of skin cancer known as melanoma for about three years until he finally breathed his last at a hospice care in August.

Days after Blackstock passed, Clarkson was spotted at LAX in the company of her kids and her sister rocking a Sorellina "Le Stelle Tarot Card” necklace. The singer’s jewelry reportedly featured an 18K yellow gold pendant, which is said to provide hope, positivity, inspiration, renewal, and healing to the wearer.

According to The Blast, the piece of jewelry features precious gems, including diamonds, sapphires, and black onyx, and costs approximately $27,000 as a set, complete with a matching chain and pendant.

The brand’s website described the piece as an object that carries the essence of hope and serves as a reminder that light comes at the end of any tunnel. 

The image on the pendant, which showcases a female figure kneeling while surrounded by jewels, land, sea, and stars, will serve as a reminder to the wearer to always stay afloat during difficult periods.

Blackstock's death surely came with a lot of revelations, including an affair between him and Clarkson's former staff member,Brittney Marie Jones. Jones reportedly cheated on her husband, Greg LaPoint, during the affair with Blackstock- a fact LaPoint discovered in 2023.

A year before the significant discovery, LaPoint publicly gushed about his bond with Jones as part of celebrations for their first wedding anniversary. Jones' husband, now ex, told the world how much of a bliss their marriage had been, promising to always be there for her through challenging times.

However, a source close to LaPoint claimed: "He got screwed over due to [Jones and Blackstock's] fling starting during his marriage." LaPoint reportedly told Jones to file for divorce when he learned about the affair, a process that was finalized in 2024.

Blackstock and Jones' relationship happened years after his separation from Clarkson, which meant the two never stepped out on the singer.

It is good to have Kelly Clarkson back in the studio!