American Idol saw a major change with the announcement of Katy Perry stepping down from the judges panel. Fans racked their brains and turned their hopeful eyes towards the show’s former champion Kelly Clarkson. It seemed like Clarkson’s return would give the show another chance to shine. However, in a surprising turn of events, Kelly Clarkson has officially declined the offer. “No. No. I can’t do that,” Clarkson quipped while attending an awards ceremony on Friday.
Kelly Clarkson will not replace Katy Perry on American Idol
Fresh off her win at the 2024 Daytime Emmy Awards for her talk show, Kelly Clarkson – the original American Idol champion from 2002 – dazzled on the red carpet. But amid the buzz of her success, she gave a surprising piece of news to an Entertainment Tonight reporter: While she has a busy schedule for the rest of the year, it’s not possible for her to return to American Idol as a judge. And the reason behind that? It’s a pretty sweet reason.
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Why is Kelly Clarkson refusing to judge American Idol?
Judging on a show as amazing and successful as American Idol might be a dream for many singers, but for Clarkson, her kids are the priority right now. “No. No. I can’t do that, simply because I made a promise to my kids. I wanted to be there as much as I could,” she told ET when asked about the possibility of replacing Katy Perry on the show. “That would require me to move to LA, and that’s why I had to leave The Voice, which I love. I miss that team so much.” Perry previously announced she was leaving the show to focus more on her music career.
Clarkson served as a coach on The Voice from seasons 14 to 21 and returned briefly for season 23. She later admitted in 2023 that ongoing issues with her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock significantly affected her time on the show. This made her feel it was important to move her family. Clarkson has two children, River Rose, who is 9, and Remington, who is 8.
“I put on a lot of smiles because I was struggling so much in my personal life,” Clarkson confessed at the time. “I’ve learned a lot about what I’m able to handle and what I’m not. It was a big step for me to say ‘goodbye’ to The Voice and take this big step. I love that family, but I was like, ‘I’m struggling. I can’t smile anymore. I don’t feel like smiling.'” she added.
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After a successful weight loss and reimagining journey, the popular talk show host moved her show from LA to New York for the fifth season. In an interview with ET ahead of the show’s debut, Kelly Clarkson revealed that the move was a huge win for her and her family.
