Seriously? OMG! WTF?

Casey Durkin/NBC

Earlier this month, Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband, Brian Blackstock, passed away from cancer at the age of 48. Even though they split in 2020, he was still the father of her two children, River and Remy.

Therefore, she needed to spend some time with her kids as they mourn the loss of their father. So, she postponed all of her August dates for her Las Vegas residency.

But that was not all. According to Deadline, she also took a break from The Voice, which is currently filming its Spring season with her, John Legend, and Adam Levine.

During her absence, fellow American Idol contestant and daytime talk show host Jennifer Hudson filled in for her. But now, Clarkson is back in the red spinning chair.

Hudson was a coach on The Voice in the UK and a mega mentor for season 26 in the States.

Clarkson is not the only Voice coach who was affected by Blackstock’s death. He was Reba McEntire’s stepson, and she helped raise him. Unlike Kelly, she did not take any time off from the singing competition, which is concurrently filming, but the Fall season.

Reba’s edition of The Voice will premiere on September 22nd, and Kelly will debut in 2026.

Kelly Clarkson/Instagram

Kelly Clarkson announced today that she was postponing her August Las Vegas residency dates, and unlike the past six months of cancellations of her talk show in March and concert dates in July, she explained why she had to do it.

Unfortunately, I need to postpone the remainder of the August Studio Session dates in Las Vegas.

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.

I am sincerely sorry to everyone who bought tickets to the shows and I so appreciate your grace, kindness and understanding.

The singer did not reveal what is ailing Brandon Blackstock, and I hope the media respects their privacy.

The exes started dating in 2012 and got engaged by the end of the year. They were married on October 20, 2013, and announced their split in 2000.

They have two children, River Rose, 11, and Remington Alexander, 9.

The American Idol started taping the Spring installment of The Voice in July with Adam Levine and John Legend, which will not have any live shows like the past 28 seasons. Therefore, we do not know if this will affect the tapings. We also do not know if this will affect the start of her daytime talk show in September.

Clarkson is making the right choice; family, especially kids, comes first.

UPDATE: Brandon Blackstock lost his three-year battle with cancer at the age of 48.

“It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away,” a rep for the family told People. “Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years. He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”

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Today, NBC announced that The Voice is going to be back for season 29 at the beginning of 2026, who will be coaching, and the changes they are making to make it more thrilling.

The Voice: Battle of Champions sees the return of three Champions: Kelly Clarkson (four times), Adam Levine (three times), and John Legend (once). The first time that all the Coaches are winners.

Since it is a battle of three competitive Coaches, be prepared for it to be a fast-paced competition.

Four rounds, each featuring a distinct “Voice” first:     

• Blinds: Coaches compete against each other in the “Triple Turn Competition” (vying for the most three-chair turns) with the winner gaining a special advantage in the next round.  

• Battles: The coach with the most three-chair turns automatically earns a “Super Steal” for the Battles. This coveted prize can only be used once and trumps any other coach’s attempt to steal, guaranteeing a win.   

• Knockouts: Each coach brings back two fan-favorite artists from their teams in previous seasons to compete in an “In-Season All-Star Competition.” All-stars represent their former coaches as they battle in head-to-head sing-offs. The coach with the most sing-off wins is guaranteed a second finalist in the finale. For this special episode, coaches call upon original Voice coach CeeLo Green to sit in on the competition and determine the winner of each All-Star Showdown.  

• Semi-Final and Finale Week: Kicks off with a Top 9 Semi-final and culminates in the Top 4 Finale. For the first time in show history, a new voting block comprised of super fans and past “Voice” artists will have the opportunity to get in on the fun firsthand, experiencing the competition as part of the in-studio audience voting for their favorites in real time during the semi-finals and finale.   

After the Blinds, each coach with have ten artists. How long they get to keep those artists, we will have to tune in to see.

Season 28 returns in the Fall with Michael Bublé, Snoop Dogg, Niall Horan, and Reba McEntire.

Kelly Clarkson/Instagram

Kelly Clarkson was supposed to start her Las Vegas residency on Friday. She even rehearsed on stage just hours beforehand. However, shortly after that, she announced that she had to cancel this weekend’s shows.

We have been working 24/7 to make Studio Sessions the most intimate and extraordinary experience with and for my incredible fans. I am beyond grateful that you always show up for me and I am devastated to have to postpone tonight and tomorrow’s opening at Caesars. The prep and rehearsals have taken a toll on my voice. I want the shows to be perfect for y’all and I need to protect myself from doing serious damage so I am taking this weekend and next week to rest up so that we can deliver what you all deserve. The show is truly incredible. The musicians and singers are outstanding, and I want us all to start out strong.
I can’t wait to be back next weekend and show y’all what we’ve been working on.

Hopefully, after the vocal rest, her voice will be better and she will be back doing what she loves most, performing for her fans.

(Photo by: Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal)

Back in March, Kelly Clarkson took a few weeks off for a personal undisclosed matter, and that is when the rumors started circulating that she was looking to move on when her contract ends next year.

Now, there is a rumor that NBC is starting to look at who could replace the American Idol. According to Page Six, the network is considering Hoda Kotb for the job.

Kotb left Today in January after spending twenty years on the morning news program. So, maybe in a year, she will be ready to go back to work full-time.

Kotb is not the only person who is being considered. However, as of now, her name is the only one that has been leaked.

Who do you think should be the new Kelly?

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