Kelly Clarkson is heading to primetime for special edition episodes of The Kelly Clarkson Show later this year.
Four brand-new episodes of Songs & Stories with Kelly Clarkson will premiere on August 19, August 26, September 2, and September 9 on NBC at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The specials will feature Clarkson sitting down with Gloria Estefan, the Jonas Brothers, Lizzo, and Teddy Swims to discuss all things life and music.
“The conversations are a front-row pass for Kelly Clarkson to engage with some of her favorite celebrities and examine both their music and personal lives,” an NBC press release reads. “The specials are a forum where iconic voices meet heartfelt storytelling through unfiltered conversation and sung in an intimate, unplugged setting.”
Songs & Stories originated as a special episode format of The Kelly Clarkson Show, with past guests including Babyface, Alanis Morissette, and P!NK. Clarkson and Miranda Lambert even went viral with their cover of Chappell Roan‘s “Good Luck, Babe!” during the country star’s Songs & Stories episode in September 2024.
Clarkson’s primetime specials will air amid speculation that she will depart her eponymous daytime series next year when her contract expires. (The American Idol alum previously took a break from the show in March due to a private personal matter before returning later that month.)
“[Clarkson] could bolt at any time. Where does that leave me?” an anonymous producer told the Daily Mail in May, adding, “No one likes the uncertainty. This feels like it could collapse any minute.”
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At the time, the outlet reported that former Today host Hoda Kotb could take over for Clarkson. “Everyone loves Kelly. She’s a wonderful person. But maybe Hoda would be a better boss. I know she’s universally beloved and respected by her former coworkers,” the producer stated. “Maybe she would be good. She sure would be a lot more stable than what we’ve been going through. … If Kelly is unhappy, then she should move on. We would all understand. If Hoda wants to do it, it could be [a] win-win for everyone.”
Kotb, however, shut down the rumors while appearing on Today for the first time since her January exit on May 28. “Do you think that if I ever came back to TV … do you know the only place I would ever come back is? Right here, this is the spot,” she explained to Savannah Guthrie and Craig Melvin. “There’s no place like home.”
Songs & Stories with Kelly Clarkson, series premiere, Tuesday, August 19, 10 p.m. ET/PT, NBC/episodes available to stream next day on Peacock