Kelly Clarkson Hospitalized for Appendix Surgery After 2019 Billboard Music Awards

Kelly Clarkson, after performing twice and hosting the 2019 Billboard Music Awards on Wednesday, had her appendix removed on Thursday.

Entertainment Tonight reports that the American Idol winner was suffering from a “painful bout” of appendicitis all week, but still traveled to Las Vegas to host the awards show Wednesday night. Right after the show was over, she flew back to Los Angles and had the procedure Thursday morning.

Clarkson is now recuperating at home and plans to be ready for the live episode of The Voice on Monday.

Entertainment Tonight reached out for a comment from Clarkson’s representative.

Clarkson was hospitalized just hours after hosting the marathon, three-hour Billboard Music Awards for the second consecutive year. After Taylor Swift and Brendon Urie performed “Me!,” Clarkson performed a medley of 12 Billboard hits from other artists. She later performed her new single, “Broken & Beautiful,” from the upcoming animated film UglyDolls.

The new song is the latest from Clarkson that provides an inspiring message for her fans. She first performed the track on The Voice last month.

Aside from Clarkson’s turn on The Voice, the “Breakaway” singer is also preparing to host a daytime talk show in September. At the Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas last month, Clarkson said she would love to have Reba McEntire and Steve Carell on her show. McEntire is her husband Brandon Blacksock’s former stepmother.

“I’m calling in all favors,” she jokingly told Entertainment Tonight. “…It’s hard to get people on a first-time show… I never usually ask for favors ’cause it makes me feel awkward, but I’m totally going to.”

On top of her professional commitments, Clarkson, Blackstock, and their children recently moved from Tennessee to Los Angeles, notes USA Today. The Texas-born Clarkson said everyone they know is “still shocked,” but they hope visit the Colorado mountains on weekends.

“I just had this conversation with [The Voice co-star Blake Shelton], actually. We had a little minute and he was like, ‘Man, you’re so busy right now,’” Clarkson recalled. “And I was like, ‘Honestly, though, you know me. I like to be busy.’ Even if I have off days, I’m generally organizing something or starting some project or learning a language.”

New episodes of The Voice air Mondays and Tuesdays on NBC at 8 p.m. ET. Only two of Clarkson’s team members, Jej Vinson and Rod Stokes, are still alive in the competition.

Photo credit: NBC