Kelly Clarkson’s Fate On “The Voice” Revealed Following Ex-Husband, Brandon Blackstock’s Death: ReportPublished Aug 20, 2025 By Tiffany Aaron 
Kelly Clarkson will be returning to “The Voice” as a coach for Season 29. (Photo credit: Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty Images and (insert) Michael Buckner via Getty Images for Celebrity Fight Night)
Kelly Clarkson’s future on The Voice was in question due to the recent death of Brandon Blackstock, her ex-husband and father of her two children.
Roughly two weeks before Kelly Clarkson postponed all August dates of her Las Vegas residency to be “fully present” with her children, it was announced that the American Idol alum would be returning to The Voice. Clarkson previously coached for Seasons 14-21 and Season 23 before stepping back to focus on her talk show.
Fans were thrilled to learn that Kelly would be returning for the show’s 29th season, Battle of Champions, slated to debut in early 2026. Filming started for the season earlier this summer, according to numerous outlets. But after Clarkson’s ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, died on August 7, the singer was forced to step away from The Voice, albeit briefly.
Rumors swirled that Clarkson would be forced to withdraw from the season completely and that the search was on for her replacement.
A new report dispels rumors that Kelly Clarkson won’t be returning.
Deadline reported Tuesday (August 19) that Kelly Clarkson only missed one day of filming, rehearsal for the Battle Rounds. Fellow Idol alum and talk show host Jennifer Hudson reportedly filled in for Clarkson on that day.
The Voice / YouTube
Filming for The Voice Season 29 is taking place simultaneously with Season 28, which is scheduled to premiere this fall. Michael Buble, Niall Horan, Snoop Dogg, and Reba McEntire are the coaches for that season. Brandon Blackstock’s death reportedly affected McEntire’s appearance on the show with her possibly missing a taping as well. McEntire was married to Brandon’s father, Narvel, for 26 years.
RELATED: REBA MCENTIRE BREAKS SILENCE FOLLOWING DEATH OF STEPSON, BRANDON BLACKSTOCK – “HIS STRUGGLE IS OVER”
Sources reported to Deadline that Kelly Clarkson and Reba McEntire are back to coaching duties and fulfilling their coaching obligations on The Voice.
The Voice host Carson Daly reveals how the show is supporting Reba and Kelly.
In a new interview with UsWeekly, The Voice host Carson Daly shared how the show’s cast and crew are supporting Kelly Clarkson and Reba McEntire following Brandon Blackstock’s passing.
“It’s been tough. We all knew Brandon well, and we are a family,” Daly told the outlet. “I was working with [Reba] last week, everything was fresh, so we’ve just been sending our prayers and support to them. It’s a terrible situation.”
“It’s really no different than what you would do for your family members,” Daly concluded. “You let them know you’re there, you’re praying for them [and] you’re giving them space at the same time.”