The Kelly Clarkson Show celebrated its 1000th episode last month, with Kelly Clarkson returning after a brief, unexplained absence. Now, speculation is mounting about the *real* reason for her time away from the show…
According to reports, insiders claim there has been a “dramatic change” in the 42-year-old “Since U Been Gone” singer’s behavior since her return, causing some people to believe it could be connected to “tensions behind the scenes.” Keep reading for more info.
Insiders Report A Shift In Kelly Clarkson's Behavior After Unexplained Absence
According to the Daily Mail, insiders have observed a noticeable shift in the former The Voice coach's demeanor since her return to the award-winning daytime talk show after an unexplained absence. She was previously described as "accessible," warm, and engaged with her staff, according to the report, but her recent behavior is now very different…
"She'd stand at your desk and just talk. Ask about your life. She knows the names of everyone's husbands and kids and would ask about them by name," one alleged staffer reportedly said.
They added: "She'd talk and talk, and then she'd suddenly apologize for taking you away from your work. I was always like, 'You're the boss; you don't need to apologize,' and she'd laugh."
However, upon her return, employees claimed that the atmosphere on set has become tense. "It's just a very weird vibe now, and no one has any idea what's going on," one employee claimed, in reference to the alleged tension.
The same employee went on: "It's really unsettling. It's not knowing that really makes things hard for everyone. When you don't know what's going on, you just assume the worst. That's human nature." Another echoed this, adding: "We're all walking on eggshells." Yikes!
Despite these claims, a separate source has dispelled the rumors, telling Entertainment Tonight: "Kelly is back to herself and all seems relatively back to normal."
'The Kelly Clarkson Show' Was Previously Plagued With 'Toxic Work Environment' Allegations
It's not surprising to discover that allegations of tension on set are causing concern, as the show was previously plagued with toxic workplace allegations. Back in 2023, Rolling Stone published a bombshell report in which current and former staffers described the environment as "toxic" and detrimental to their mental health.
While the "Mine" singer herself was not being accused of contributing to the toxic culture, many of the allegations were directed at producer Alex Duda. A former employee alleged at the time: "I have a friend who's an executive producer who warned me about taking this job, because apparently she has done this on every show she's worked on."
Another former employee revealed at the time that they quit the show because they developed so much anxiety from the way they were treated, and would regularly vomit due to the stress and anxiety. "This job deteriorated my mental health," they said.
