As Kelly Clarkson prepares to say goodbye to daytime TV, she’s getting candid about what led her to this point in her career.
In early February, the TV personality shocked viewers by announcing the end of her hit talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show. At the time, Kelly disclosed that the final episode of the popular series, which has been on the air for seven seasons, would premiere in the fall of 2026. And while she did share some reasons for wanting to step away from the cameras, she recently got more in-depth about it in a way no one expected.
During a February 20 taping of TODAY to promote season 29 of The Voice, Kelly was asked about what led to the decision to leave The Kelly Clarkson Show. Speaking to Carson Daly and John Legend, she says she realized she needed to be there for her two kids (daughter River Rose and son Remington “Remy” Alexander) after the August 2025 death of their dad, Brandon Blackstock.
“Our family life, the dynamic changed a bit, and it has changed for a minute now,” she said as shown in a clip posted on Instagram. “It’s one of those things when you kind of start seeing life as how precious it is, too. It was like, you know what? I’m really busy … I know everybody thinks, ‘Oh, she quit.’ I’m like, ‘I still have other jobs!’ So, I’m still doing stuff. There’s just too much on my plate. So I was like, you know what? It’s time to kind of pull back.”
The host also acknowledged something that made this decision so difficult.
“The crew’s been incredible,” she said. “That’s what kind of sucked. It was like everything was going well. That’s what was really hard. And it’s like, people’s jobs … you know, we’re a family there as well. So, that was a really hard thing for me, but an easy decision as a mama.”
Fans applauded Kelly online for her emotional, honest explanation of stepping away from The Kelly Clarkson Show.
“Good for you Kelly. There will always be time for a show, but your kids are only young a short time! Enjoy them 
,” one person wrote in the comments.
“I always respect her decision very much. Family first!!” another agreed.
“You’ll never regret putting your family first 
,” a different follower added.
There’s still time before viewers officially part ways with the daytime show, but in the meantime, we can only commend Kelly for doing things in her own way.