Kelly Clarkson Weighs Future on Daytime TV While Managing Health and Divorce Fallout

Kelly Clarkson didn’t concern herself during two recent back-to-back performances at the Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena in Atlantic City.

On May 9, in between hits like “Since U Been Gone” and “Miss Independent,” the powerhouse singer opened up about how her demanding talk show schedule prevented her from touring as much as she’d wish.

“It’s like a whole other job,” she said of her eponymous chat show, adding that she and her bandmates are “bummed” because they love being on the road. The following night, she further dissed her day job, telling the crowd she “nearly” got into a fight with her show’s HR department over whether it was appropriate for Kelly, who once dropped 60 pounds, to comment on guests’ weight loss.

“They say you’re not allowed to say someone looks attractive,” she ranted. “And I say f**k that.”

It was oddly out of character for the usually cheery star. Yet the 43-year-old clearly has a lot to get off her chest as she finds herself at a breaking point both professionally and personally.

In March, she was intermittently absent from The Kelly Clarkson Show tapings for a week, reportedly because of a private family matter. Her staff is said to be on edge amid reports she’ll leave the show when her contract expires in 2025. Just two years after uprooting her two children, River, 10, and Remington, 9 (dad is her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock), and moving to New York City, Kelly — who revealed in 2018 she suffers from the autoimmune disorder Hashimoto’s disease — is desperate for a change.

“Kelly’s feeling pressure on all sides,” a source tells Star. “The bosses want her to keep doing the show but she wants a break from the grind.”

Mounting Stress

She’s been unhappy for some time. While initially thrilled to relocate to the Big Apple in 2023, the move took a big toll.

“New York is such a different animal compared to L.A. Kelly can’t relax here. Her heart hasn’t been in it for a while,” says the source, adding that she’s torn between what she wants and what she’s required to do. “Kelly will fulfill her obligations because she feels a sense of duty towards her staff, but the feeling is she’s looking to bail next year.”

Her health is a big factor in her wanting to step away from the show. The source says Kelly’s autoimmune disease — which led her to overhaul her diet and majorly slim down between 2022 and 2024 (she revealed in 2024 she used a weight loss medication) — has been difficult to deal with.

“There’s no doubt her stamina has been affected by her health issues,” says the source. “She doesn’t have the same energy to do everything and she gets fatigued working so hard.”

Meanwhile, her ugly March 2022 divorce from her former manager Brandon rocked her finances. In their settlement, her ex was awarded a onetime payment of $1.3 million along with monthly child support payments of $45,601 and spousal support payments of $115,000 (those ended in January 2024).

“Kelly’s still bitter over the terms of her divorce, which left her physically and mentally drained,” says the source. The acrimony — which also included a since-settled lawsuit over millions of dollars in commissions — also affected Kelly’s ability to trust and move on romantically.

In 2024, she revealed River and Remington have both begged her not to date, and in April, she talked with guest Olivia Munn about how children are still haunted by the split. “One was really young,” she confessed, “but the other one does [remember] — and it’s hard.”

Feeling Lost

While her show has garnered great ratings, in 2023 she was forced to address allegations of it being a toxic workplace, with 11 current and former employees telling a news outlet that they were overworked, underpaid and “traumatized” by the show’s culture.

“It’s so stressful trying to please everybody,” says the source. “That’s another reason why she’s looking to leave.” (On May 28, Hoda Kotb returned to Today to dispute rumors she’s been tapped to replace the American Idol alum: “Delete, delete. Not true!”)

Then there’s Kelly’s first love, music. The star has long touted Las Vegas residencies coming up in July, August and November, but the show and family issues have prevented her from hitting the road. Says the source: “Kelly’s just trying to find some peace.”