When it comes to celebrity divorces, Kelly Clarkson’s was definitely one of the most talked about for a long time after she and Brandon Blackstock decided to end their seven-year marriage in 2020. The talk show host has said several times she’s not interested in dating, and who can blame her after going through two years of back-and-forth with her ex over custody of their kids, property division, etc., before a settlement was reached (not to mention the continuing legal battles)? For as long as it’s been since Clarkson had a partner, an insider contends it’s actually been longer than we even realized.
The singer has opened up a lot on The Kelly Clarkson Show (which will wrap this week before returning on the 2025 TV schedule) about what she went through during her divorce from Brandon Blackstock, even making a whole breakup album about it. Now a source has told Page Six that Kelly Clarkson felt the separation from her husband long before she filed paperwork to make that separation legal. They said:
As time went on in their marriage, Kelly didn’t feel like she had a partner. Kelly felt single in a lot of ways even while she and Brandon were still married.
Kelly Clarkson has admitted to staying in her marriage for too long because she was sure she could fix it, but the source alleges that there were signs that the parents were no longer operating as a team, saying:
She attended school events for the kids by herself when other parents would attend with both the mom and the dad. Kelly was so grateful when she was granted primary custody of her children because they’re her whole world.
Obviously there are different reasons why a child might only have one or the other parent at a school function, but it doesn't sound like the insider here is saying that Brandon Blackstock was simply stuck at work during these situations. This one example does also line up with things that Kelly Clarkson has said about feeling lonely and small toward the end. She said she felt very “limited” in her marriage but didn’t realize how much of herself she’d lost until it was over.
Regardless of how long the American Idol champion has lacked that partnership, she’s made her feelings about dating known. As she was releasing new music about the divorce in 2023, she said she was just enjoying finding herself again, and she reiterated that she’s still not ready to date when the same questions recirculated following her recent weight loss.
Single or not, Kelly Clarkson’s fans surely just want her to do whatever makes her happy. The Kelly Clarkson Show wraps up its 2024 episodes on December 20, then will return in the new year starting Monday, January 6, 2025. Check your local listings to see when it airs in your area.
