Kelly Clarkson’s unplanned absence from The Kelly Clarkson Show has raised concerns among fans since she last hosted on March 5.
ICYMI, Shang-Chi star Simu Liu stepped in for the Grammy winner since she temporarily stepped back from her daytime talk show. She then appeared in several pre-taped episodes before Sunday Today anchor Willie Geist took the hosting reins the following week.
“I am very much not Kelly Clarkson, and I’m sorry for that,” the Morning Joe cohost said during the March 12 taping. “I’m Willie Geist, and I will be your guest host for the hour ahead.”
He went on to read a bucket list of things he wanted to complete by the time he turned 50. “And now this one I can really finally cross off my list — guest-host a talk show normally hosted by the winner of a national singing competition,” he joked. “Oddly specific and predictive for a 12-year-old.”
Since Kelly’s been gone, fans have reportedly called on NBC to release a statement amid the guest hosts’ episodes. But, according to TMZ, there’s “no cause for alarm” due to the “Breakaway” singer’s absence. Sources say that “Kelly herself is completely fine. She’s been dealing with a personal matter that does not directly involve her.”
Multiple outlets including Deadline, Page Six, Hello!, and TMZ have confirmed that Kelly is returning to her hosting gig on Thursday, March 13. It’s unclear whether the American Idol alum is pre-taping future episodes or if she’ll be in the episode that airs that same day, as Page Six reports guest host Molly Sims already filmed her slot with guest Patrick Schwarzenegger.
Sam is an assistant news editor at Cosmo, covering all things pop culture, entertainment, and celebrity news. She previously covered those same topics along with health, lifestyle, and beauty at Seventeen. When she isn't catching a concert or live-tweeting awards shows, you can likely find her judging DJ sets at parties.
