Weeks after Kelly Clarkson announced via social media that the current season of her talk show would be her last, the powerhouse singer and original “American Idol” winner opened up in her first interview about the decision on February 20, 2026.
Appearing on “Today” while promoting her return to “The Voice” as a coach, Clarkson said that although she’ll miss everyone she works with, it was “an easy decision as a mama” to prioritize her actual family over her work family after such a difficult year for her kids, daughter River Rose, 11, and son Remy, 9. Their dad and her ex-husband, Brandon Blackson, died in August 2025 following a three-year battle with melanoma, a form of skin cancer.
Kelly Clarkson Says the Last Year Has Taught Her How ‘Precious’ Life Is
When “Today” anchor Carson Daly, who also hosts “The Voice,” asked Clarkson about her decision to leave “The Kelly Clarkson Show” after seven seasons, she answered, “I think everybody probably gets the timing.”
“Our family life, the dynamic changed a bit, and it has changed for a minute now,” she continued. “You got kids, we’ve all got kids, and it’s one of those things when you kind of start seeing life as how precious it is, too. It’s like, ‘You know what, I’m really busy.'”
Although Clarkson wrote in her February 2 announcement that her family’s needs drove her decision to end her show, the Grammy winner assured Daly — and her fans — that she’s not leaving her whole entertainment career behind.
“I was like, ‘I know everybody thinks she’s like quitting,’” Clarkson said. “I’m like, ‘I still have other jobs, so I’m still doing stuff.’ There’s just too much on the plate, so I was like you know what, it’s time to pull back.”
‘Everything Was Going Well’ on Talk Show, Kelly Clarkson Said, Making It Harder to Leave
Clarkson also noted in her “Today” interview that leaving her show had nothing to do with sagging ratings or behind-the-scenes issues.
“That’s what was really hard,” she told Carson. “I work with a lot of people here, too. The crew’s been incredible. It wasn’t that the show isn’t doing well. That’s what kind of sucked, everything was going well, and that’s what was really hard. That was a really hard thing for me, but an easy decision as a mama.”
In Clarkson’s initial announcement about leaving “The Kelly Clarkson Show, she wrote, “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.”
She also noted, “I have been extremely fortunate to work with such an outstanding group of people at TKCS, both in Los Angeles and New York. There have been so many amazing moments and shows over these seven seasons. I am forever grateful and honored to have worked alongside the greatest band and crew you could hope for, all the talent and inspiring people who have shared their time and lives with us, all the fans who have supported our show, and to NBC for always being such a supportive and incredible partner.”
“The Kelly Clarkson Show” debuted in 2019 and has won more than 20 Emmy Awards. New season seven episodes are expected to air through the fall of 2026, per NBC, but some episodes will feature guest hosts. For instance, Pink will host the show during the week of March 2.
She is going to be miss you very much