Kelly Clarkson is back on daytime TV with the season 7 premiere of “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” less than two months after the death of her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock. The “American Idol” alum didn’t address her family tragedy, but there was an emotional moment during the show.
‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’ Returns Following Host’s Family Tragedy
On September 29, 2025, “The Kelly Clarkson Show” returned for its seventh season. Clarkson made no mention of her recent family tragedy on the show.
She welcomed guests Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell to discuss their new film, “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey” and spoke with some of the heroes who saved lives during the tragic Texas Hill Country flooding on July 4.
Clarkson also performed “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd during her “Kellyoke” segment.
“It’s great to see all y’all again. I feel like it’s been a minute,” she said. “That was ‘Blinding Lights’ by The Weeknd. I love that song; it makes me feel good. I feel like it’s the perfect song to kick us off because light has been a constant theme for us on this show since the beginning.”
Clarkson continued, “We’ve seen a lot in the past six years, and sometimes the world can be very heavy. I’ve always said my favorite part of doing this job, and I stand by it, is finding the light and shining it on people who are really trying to make a difference.”
She added, “And trying to make the world a better place. Sounds cheesy, but it’s real. Makes you feel good. That’s exactly what we’re going to do this week and all season, y’all!”
Fans lit up the comments section of the show’s September 29 Instagram post featuring highlights from the episode.
“Oh how I’ve missed that laugh and seeing her smile,” one fan wrote. “She’s back ❤️❤️.”
“AHHH! It’s good to see Kelly back!” another fan noted.
One fan commented, “So glad Kelly is doing okay.”
‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’ Season 7 Premiere Features Emotional Moment
Clarkson was seen wiping away tears as she spoke with the school bus drivers who rescued hundreds of kids from the deadly floodwaters.
In an interview with USA Today, the show’s music director, Jason Halbert, noted that the episode was “emotional for all of us.”
“I don’t know how [Clarkson] compartmentalizes watching that segment, super emotional, and then jumping into, like, making crafts with kids, and then jumping into emoting a song,” Halbert told USA Today at the taping.
He noted, “A lot happened for us all in the last year, on personal and career levels. You’re going to see some songs reflect things that maybe she wouldn’t talk about verbally in a sitting on the couch interview.”
Clarkson will bring joy to her show with one of her song selections in an upcoming episode. The host sings “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves on the third episode, airing on October 1.
Showrunner Alex Duda noted how emotional segments like the Texas flood tragedy allows them to show how “communities can come together and try to rebuild.”
Duda noted, “That’s what we’ve done since the beginning. When the world is dark or heavy, look for the light.”
The showrunner added, “We wanted to reaffirm that in our premiere this year.”
