After much speculation about the future of her daytime talk show, on Feb. 3, Kelly Clarkson confirmed The Kelly Clarkson Show will end after its seventh season.
Acknowledging that it was “not an easy decision,” the 43-year-old wrote on Instagram, “Stepping away from the daily schedule will allow me to prioritize my kids, which feels necessary and right for this next chapter of our lives.”
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The move comes six months after the country star’s ex-husband Brandon Blackstock’s death from cancer at age 48. Kelly, whose divorce from Brandon had been lengthy and bitter, previously took time off to be with their children, River Rose, 11, and 9-year-old Remington as her ex’s disease progressed. Now, says the source, she wants to continue to put family first. “She loves the show, but the undeniable, harsh reality is that it came at a considerable cost to her on a personal level.” (Asked at the Feb. 1 Grammy Awards about the kids, Reba McEntire, Kelly’s good friend and Brandon’s ex-stepmom, said, “Everybody’s hanging in there.”)
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So far, it’s been the right decision for the American Idol alum, who parlayed her win to an estimated net worth of $50 million. “It’s not about money, but about quality of life,” says the insider. “She’s excited and has no regrets, even though it’s very sad to be walking away from a lot of people she really cared about, [her staff], who were like family in a lot of ways.”
Not that fans have heard the last of the “Since U Been Gone” singer. Kelly promised, “I’ll still be making music, playing shows here and there, and you may catch me on The Voice from time to time.”