Kelly Clarkson announced the cancellation of residency dates this week. While Clarkson has been tight-lipped about her recent absences from multiple work obligations, this time she opened up about what’s been keeping her away. Clarkson revealed her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, was ill. She didn’t go into details, but said she needed to be present for her children. Within hours of Clarkson’s update, the family announced Blackstock’s death at the age of 48. Following the loss, Clarkson’s fans are curious about what her schedule might look like moving forward, including whether she will return to The Kelly Clarkson Show as scheduled. So far, the talk series is still slated to return in September.

‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’ is expected to return in September

Kelly Clarkson wrapped up her sixth season of The Kelly Clarkson Show in June. She immediately transitioned into a residency in Las Vegas. The busy songstress’s break from her residency amid Blackstock’s illness and death has some fans wondering if she’ll push back the premiere of The Kelly Clarkson Show’s seventh season to better accommodate her children and her busy schedule.

According to People, that is not the case. The newest season of the hit show is still slated for a September 2025 release. Nothing seems to be changing, though an official release date has not been announced. The dates the star is missing from her residency have been rescheduled until next August to better accommodate her existing calendar. There has been no change to The Voice’s production schedule either. Clarkson is slated to return for the show’s 29th season.

Blackstock’s long illness explains other filming breaks Clarkson took

Brandon Blackstock’s family did not immediately release information about the type of cancer he had battled. TMZ, however, spoke with an insider who revealed the talent manager was diagnosed with melanoma more than three years ago and had been fighting the cancer ever since. Blackstock’s lengthy battle with the dangerous form of skin cancer was likely the cause of a notable break Kelly Clarkson took from her show back in March.

At the time, Clarkson took a step back from hosting her talk show for “personal reasons” and pulled in celebrities to fill in for her while she dealt with things behind the scenes. While Clarkson didn’t share the reason for the break, her team did emphasize that she was fine. At the time, theories swirled that Clarkson was experiencing burnout from her demanding schedule. That turned out not to be the case.  

Clarkson and Blackstock wed in 2013. They welcomed two children together during the marriage before ultimately splitting up. While they finalized their divorce in 2022, Clarkson filed for divorce in 2020. Their daughter, River, is 11 years old. Their son, Remington, is 9.