Kelly Clarkson Set to Return to Talk Show After Brief Hiatus as 1,000th Episode Milestone Nears

Kelly Clarkson is poised to resume production on The Kelly Clarkson Show this week following a string of unplanned absences that sparked concern among fans and prompted a rotation of celebrity guest hosts to fill her seat.

The Grammy-winning singer and host, who has fronted the NBCUniversal-produced daytime series since its 2019 debut, missed multiple tapings in early March, including sessions on March 3 and March 12-14. Sources close to the production confirm Clarkson’s absence was tied to a private matter, though no further details were disclosed. An NBCUniversal spokesperson declined to comment.

Clarkson’s temporary exit led to a revolving door of guest hosts stepping in, beginning with Shang-Chi star Simu Liu on March 3. Comedians Roy Wood Jr. and Wanda Sykes, actress Brooke Shields, Today’s Willie Geist, and model-actor Molly Sims subsequently helmed episodes, with Sims hosting the March 13 and 14 installments. Those episodes will feature guests Patrick Schwarzenegger, Bryan Greenberg, Amanda Seyfried, and For Life alum Nicholas Pinnock.

The timing of Clarkson’s hiatus comes as the Emmy-winning talk show prepares to celebrate its 1,000th episode. The milestone installment is slated to tape March 18 at New York’s 30 Rockefeller Plaza and will air March 20. The series, which has dominated the daytime circuit with five consecutive Daytime Emmy wins for Outstanding Talk Series, remains a cornerstone of NBCUniversal’s syndicated programming.

Clarkson’s return to the stage also coincides with her upcoming Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The Since U Been Gone singer is set to launch the show, Kelly Clarkson: Chemistry, on July 4, with performances running through Nov. 15.

A spokesperson for the show has not indicated whether Clarkson’s schedule will be adjusted to accommodate her residency, though insiders note the series is expected to continue production in New York through its current season. With Clarkson back in the host’s chair, all eyes now turn to next week’s landmark episode, which promises a celebratory reflection on the show’s success — and Clarkson’s enduring reign as daytime TV’s most magnetic voice.