Kelly Clarkson made her long-awaited return to her self-titled talk show on Tuesday, following an intermittent absence since March 3, yet she remained tight-lipped about the reasons behind her leave. The 42-year-old singer kicked off the episode with a captivating "Kellyoke" performance, subsequently interviewing Adam Scott of "Severance" fame and viral sensation Marc Rebillet. Despite her return, Clarkson refrained from addressing the cause of her absence, which TMZ had earlier hinted was due to a "personal matter."
However, the gossip outlet clarified that the "American Idol" veteran was "doing fine," emphasizing that the issue did not directly impact her.Clarkson's representative remained silent in response to Page Six's inquiries for comment. Prior to her departure, the host had failed to inform viewers of her absence, with Marvel actor Simu Liu stepping in on March 3. "Kelly isn't able to make it today," Liu announced. "We're sending her our best wishes. I didn't know I was doing this until five minutes ago when I arrived to promote my new movie, 'Last Breath,'" he joked, adding that he was "not one to shy away from a challenge."Though Clarkson returned for the March 4 episode, she was gone again by the week's end, with Molly Sims, Willie Geist, Brooke Shields, Kal Penn, and Wanda Sykes filling in as guest hosts. Over the years, Clarkson has made headlines for taking breaks from hosting her show, which premiered in 2019. In 2022, she spent "the entire summer in the mountains" with her two children, daughter River, 10, and son Remington, 8, whom she shares with her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock. Upon her return from her divorce settlement with her former manager in 2021, Clarkson emphasized the importance of taking a break to "recharge" and "focus" on her family.
