September 9, 2019 (2019-09-09) – present (present)
The Kelly Clarkson Show (abbreviated as TKCS on a sign in the studio the show currently utliizes) is an American daytime television varietytalk show hosted by American singer Kelly Clarkson. It is produced and distributed by NBCUniversal Syndication Studios and features Clarkson interviewing celebrities and segments about "everyday people".[2][3] Clarkson opens the program with "Kellyoke", a musical performance of a cover version of various songs requested by a member of her audience and ends with her participating in an activity with her guests.[4] "Kellyoke" classic was introduced in the third season, where Clarkson performs her own songs that were not released as singles.
The program's press release states that "In her new daytime talk show, Kelly Clarkson uses her gift of connection to bring viewers something new: a fun, energetic show that breaks with tradition. In each episode audiences will experience an hour full of remarkable stories, celebrity guests, spontaneous surprises, humor, heart and, of course, good music. It's like a weekday brunch party with a fascinating guest list of people who would otherwise never meet."[7] Clarkson usually performs a cover song in each episode.
Production
Paul Telegdy, who was NBCUniversal's president of Alternative Programming, had originally scouted Clarkson to serve as a mentor—and later a coach—on NBC's music competition series The Voice. As part of a corporate restructuring, Telegdy additionally became the head of NBCUniversal's syndication division in late 2016.[8]
Despite being reluctant at first, Clarkson accepted the offer for the series in an effort to "connect with people, play games, music and find ways to help or give back to communities/organizations."[7][9] She also sought advice from various television presenters, including Jimmy Fallon, Ellen DeGeneres, and Blake Shelton.[9] On August 6, 2018, it was reported by Broadcasting & Cable that Clarkson had filmed a pilot for the talk show that was later offered for syndication, broadcast on another platform, or both.[10] Celebrities such as Josh Groban, Terry Crews, and Chloë Grace Moretz were reported to have participated as her guests on the pilot.[11] She is also accompanied by her touring band for her musical performances in the program, which includes a barn-like studio as a reflection to her "country roots".[11] Clarkson also revealed the talk show will be opened by audience-requested covers of various songs.[9][12]
Midway through the first season, production on the show was suspended on March 13, 2020, after the World Health Organization announced the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. The show resumed production in April of the same year, with multiple episodes being recorded from Clarkson's home in Montana, then later at her Southern California home. The show continued in production for its first season into August, when traditionally, most syndicated talk shows are dark.[16] Clarkson returned to studio-shot shows in September 2020, with a virtual studio audience.
On December 15, 2020, the show was renewed for its third and fourth seasons through 2023.[17] The third season premiered on September 13, 2021. The new season marked the return of the live studio audience. The first week of shows for the third season were taped in New York City.[18] The fourth season premiered on September 12, 2022. On November 7, 2022, the show was renewed for its fifth and sixth seasons through 2025.[19]
Production was suspended in May 2023 due to the Writers Guild of America strike, but there was still an inventory of new episodes that had not yet been aired.[20] That month, it was announced that The Kelly Clarkson Show would re-locate from the Universal City Studios in Los Angeles to the Rockefeller Center in New York City for its fifth season, moving to Studio 6-A at NBC Studios. Clarkson cited a desire to move the show to the East Coast so that she could be closer to her family in North Carolina, as well as her interest in Broadway theater.[21] The move also takes advantage of new film tax credits for relocated productions introduced by Governor Kathy Hochul.[6][22] The fifth season premiered on October 16, 2023.[23]
For its first season, The Kelly Clarkson Show was commissioned for broadcast in virtually all television markets in the United States, with the NBC Owned Television Stations serving as its primary affiliate base, along with the Citytv television system in Canada. The affiliate base also includes stations affiliated with other networks besides NBC.[24][25] On most NBC stations, it is positioned as a lead-in program to The Ellen DeGeneres Show, or as a centerpiece program leading into local afternoon newscasts. The series also airs the same day on Bravo as part of its overnight programming, while NBC stations and affiliates carrying The Kelly Clarkson Show also have the option to carry a late-night repeat in lieu of a network broadcast of NBC News Now's Top Story with Tom Llamas.[1] In May 2021, the NBC Owned Television Stations group announced that the show will take over the timeslot of The Ellen DeGeneres Show on the ten NBC-owned stations that carry both programs, after Ellen final season reruns ended at the start of September 2022.[26]
Outside of North America, the Philippines' TAP TV, South Africa's M-Net West, Ireland's Virgin Media Two, and Singapore's Channel 5 carry the program. Starting on January 15, 2023, the show began airing in Australia on the new 7Bravo network.[27]
Kellyoke is a coversextended play (EP) by Kelly Clarkson. The title is a portmanteau of her first name and the word “karaoke,” inspired by the Kellyoke segment from her daytime talk show; during that portion of the show, Kelly and her band perform various song covers (shortened for television) that are requested by fans or are originally by artists who inspired her personally - thus she calls the segment Kellyoke. She has performed songs by artists such as Mariah Carey, The Staples Singers, The Chicks, and Nat King Cole, among many others.
On its pilot week, The Kelly Clarkson Show premiered with over 2.6 million viewers and a 1.6 household rating according to Nielsen Media Research—the best premiere rating for a new first-run syndicated program since Katie in 2012.[32] A month after the show aired, Nielsen data stated that the show gained 1.9 million average viewers per episode and became the fourth most watched daytime talk shows.[33]The New York Times reported in September 2021 that the show was drawing an average daily audience of 1.3 million viewers.[34] In December 2020, Deadline Hollywood reported that the second season has 1.6 million average daily viewers and has the youngest audience among the top four daytime shows.[17] The fourth season of the show gained 1.37 million average daily viewers and ranked third among all syndicated daytime talk shows.[35]
Controversy
In a Rolling Stone article published on May 12, 2023, former employees of the show spoke of mistreatment and favoritism from producers, stressing the fact that they were overworked, underpaid, and that working at the show was traumatizing to their mental health, which leads to the conclusion where they described The Kelly Clarkson Show as a toxic environment. Staffers said that "Clarkson was likely unaware of the alleged mistreatment" with one describing her as "fantastic."[36]
The night the allegations were issued, Clarkson posted a public statement on her social media accounts in which she said she was unaware of the situation, yet it is unacceptable. Furthermore, she assured that as the show makes its move to the East Coast, the best and kindest staff members will continue to be in place and that everyone in Senior management positions, including Clarkson herself, will undergo management training to be the best versions of themselves and until the notion of toxicity is eradicated.[37][38]
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