Kelly Clarkson will get a little help from a fellow American Idol alum as she takes a brief hiatus from The Voice following the death of ex-husband Brandon Blackstock.
Jennifer Hudson will step in for Clarkson as a coach for one episode of Season 29 of NBC’s singing competition, Deadline reports, taking over for one episode of rehearsals for the Battles round. Clarkson will return soon after to reclaim her spot in the competition.
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This won’t be Hudson’s first time on The Voice, as she previously acted as a coach on Seasons 13 and 15 and has served as a mentor periodically throughout the show’s run.
Season 29 reunites Clarkson with her fellow winning coaches, Adam Levine and John Legend, for what’s being called the Battle of Champions. The season is set to air next spring.
First comes Season 28 of The Voice, which is also in production with coaches Michael Bublé, Reba McEntire, Niall Horan and Snoop Dogg. As McEntire is Blackstock’s stepmother, there was speculation that she might miss a portion of the season, but Deadline‘s sources indicated that filming has been going to plan with the country star thus far.
Blackstock died of melanoma on Aug. 7 at the age of 48. The day before his death, Clarkson, who shares daughter River, 11, and son Remy, 9, with her ex, announced that Blackstock was “ill,” causing her to postpone her Las Vegas residency.
“While I normally keep my personal life private, this past year, my children’s father has been ill and at this moment, I need to be fully present for them,” she said. “I am sincerely sorry to everyone who bought tickets to the shows and I so appreciate your grace, kindness and understanding.”
Four days after Blackstock’s passing, McEntire paid tribute to her stepson on Instagram. “Last week, my stepson/oldest son Brandon Blackstock went home to be with God. His struggle is over and he is in eternal peace in God’s presence,” she wrote at the time. “There is no one else like him, and I’m thankful for the time we had together. His legacy and laughter will be carried on through his family. Rest in peace cowboy. Happy trails to you til we meet again.”
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