Kelly Clarkson Plans New Season Of Talk Show Amid Grief Over Brandon Blackstock's Death
Kelly Clarkson will return to host "The Kelly Clarkson Show" in September despite the sudden death of her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock.
The singer, 43, canceled her August Las Vegas residency after Blackstock died on Aug. 7 following a three-year battle with melanoma. The pair share two children, River, 11, and Remington, 9.
A show insider told The US Sun the daytime program will proceed as planned. "She is first and foremost present for her kids and processing the tragedy herself in many different layers, but she has been in some meetings already," the source said. "She needs a sense of normalcy and routine, and quite frankly needs the distraction."
The insider said helping her children adjust is Clarkson's "top priority," adding, "There's no rule book for it. She is trying her best but she's struggling helping them cope to life without their dad."
Private Illness, Public Loss
Blackstock's illness was known to only a few on the show's staff. "A select few knew he was sick, the rest suspected," the insider told the outlet. "No one knew it was going to be so bad so quickly. It was a shock to everyone and I think Kelly herself."
Starstruck Entertainment, the company where Blackstock worked for years as a music manager, announced his death in a statement on Aug. 7. "Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years," the statement read. "He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family."
The Silver Bow County coroner confirmed to PEOPLE that Blackstock died of melanoma at his home in Butte, Montana, and that the manner of death was natural causes.
Life After Divorce
Clarkson and Blackstock tied the knot in 2013 and split up in 2020. Their divorce got its seal in 2022, following a long fight over kids and money. Clarkson got the main right to keep the kids, while Blackstock moved to a ranch in Montana.
Despite the personal loss, Clarkson plans to honor her professional commitments. "The show is coming back as scheduled next month, no changes are being made as of right now," the insider told the outlet.
Clarkson addressed fans on Instagram the day before Blackstock's death was announced, saying she needed to be "fully present" for her children. "While I normally keep my personal life private, this past year my children's father has been ill," she wrote.
Originally published on Music Times
