Kelly Clarkson has seen a lot of changes since 2019, including her contentious divorce and a big cross-country move, and thanks to her eponymous daytime talk show, we’ve gotten to see her through all of it. The OG American Idol winner celebrated a huge milestone this week, with the 1,000th episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show airing on the 2025 TV schedule, and it sounds like she had some fun getting her live audience hyped for the big occasion.
As taping began on the March 20 episode, a stage manager instructed the audience when and where to cheer for the host, but according to Deadline, Kelly Clarkson jumped in, joking with her crowd full of fans:
You will applaud because you love it. You are so f–king excited! But have fun.
The audience reportedly laughed at her faux scolding. It sounds like the singer had a little extra pep in her step, and after hearing the show’s intro, where Kelly Clarkson lists all that she, the show and the world at large have been through since 2019, it’s easy to see why this is such a meaningful day for her. Check out the 1,000th episode’s cold open below:
In addition to all of the ups and downs she mentioned in that video, there’s also the personal matter that kept her away from the talk show for a good portion of this month’s episodes. In fact, fans were probably relieved just to have her there for her big day.
It’s unknown what exactly was happening in the host’s life that forced Kelly Clarkson to miss episodes from the beginning of March through Thursday the 13th, but she was reportedly dealing with a private matter. This is not the first time guest hosts have stepped in for the singer for one reason or another, and over the past week, fans have been treated to celebs including Wanda Sykes and Brooke Shields to lead the way.
They don’t hit the same as Kelly Clarkson, though. As noted in the 1,000-episode celebration, The Kelly Clarkson Show debuted in September 2019, and it was a fast hit with the daytime audience. The host’s relatability, sense of humor and the all-important gift of gab have made her a joy to watch over the years. So it’s not so much of a surprise as it is impressive that The Kelly Clarkson Show has earned more than 20 Emmy Awards to date.
It hasn’t been all Kellyoke and Emmy trophies, though. The show saw Kelly Clarkson through her years-long divorce from Brandon Blackstock, and she’s talked about everything from how her mom reacted to news of the breakup to learning to “un-love” your ex.
And while the host herself was not implicated, several former employees spoke out in 2023 about The Kelly Clarkson Show being a “traumatizing” work environment due to the actions of some producers. Kelly Clarkson responded, saying the alleged behavior was “unacceptable,” and she vowed that everyone on her senior staff, including herself, would undergo leadership training.
One thousand episodes is quite an achievement, and I can totally understand after going through so much why Kelly Clarkson was getting cheeky with her audience for the big day. Hopefully she’ll continue making her audience laugh for another 1,000 episodes. Check your local listings to see when The Kelly Clarkson Show airs in your area.
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