Kelly Clarkson Allegedly Had ‘Breakdown’ on Set as Talk Show’s Future Remains Unclear

Kelly Clarkson is reportedly desperate to exit her NBC daytime talk show amid the end of her contract in 2026. Over the past few months, the American Idol winner has missed a handful of shows, and tensions are reportedly growing behind the scenes.

Sources say it’s abundantly obvious that she is unhappy with how the grueling schedule has interrupted her life, not just personally but professionally. Clarkson has openly spoken about how hard it has been for her as a singer to commit to the daytime slot, despite its success and popularity. 

Daily Mail reports that she is worried about her staff losing their jobs if she does not renew a deal said to be worth almost $13 million. Her staff has reportedly begun to look for other things in an uncertain climate in the entertainment industry.

“She’s made it very clear that she doesn’t want her decisions to affect all of our livelihoods… but it’s a bit late for that now,” one source told the outlet. “I get that she’s conflicted,” the staffer continues, “but when she says things publicly, it makes the public feel like she doesn’t want to be here. And if she doesn’t want to be here, why should they tune in?”

The “Stronger” singer has reportedly had meetings with the executive staff to discuss the show’s future, or lack thereof. “She was emotional,” says the staffer. “She was worried about the staff and had a bit of a breakdown about it.”

Clarkson’s highly anticipated Las Vegas residency was scheduled to begin this week, but it was delayed hours before it was slated to begin. She revealed during a string of Atlantic City, New Jersey shows where she admitted on stage that she was eager to get back to music. Her last album was released two years ago.

“We haven’t done a [singing] show in a while, y’all, ’cause I have a talk show,” she said at an Atlantic City concert on May 9. “It’s like a whole other job.” She added: “We are bummed ’cause we love doing [singing] shows, and it’s hard to fit it in.”