Kelly Clarkson Responds To Exposé Alleging Toxic Working Environment At Her Talk Show

JC Olivera/Getty Images

Kelly Clarkson Responds To Exposé Alleging Toxic Working Environment At Her Talk Show

JC Olivera/Getty Images

On Friday, Rolling Stone published a damning exposé alleging a history of toxic behavior behind the scenes at Kelly Clarkson’s NBC daytime talk show. Current and former staffers spoke to the magazine about being subject to verbal and emotional abuse by the show’s producers, particularly executive producer and showrunner Alex Duda, whom one person referred to as a “monster.” One major caveat, however: all of the employees spoke kindly of Clarkson and maintained that the “fantastic” host had “no clue how unhappy her staff is.” Now, Clarkson has responded.

Posting a series of notes on social media, Clarkson writes: “In my 20 years in the entertainment industry, I’ve always led with my heart and what I believed to be right. I love my team at The Kelly Clarkson Show, and to find out that anyone is feeling unheard and/or disrespected on this show is unacceptable.”

She adds: “I have always been, and will continue to be, committed to creating and maintaining a safe and healthy environment at The Kelly Clarkson Show. As we prepare for a move to the East Coast, I am more committed than ever to ensuring that not only our team that is moving but also our new team in [New York] is comprised of the best and kindest in the business.”

“Part of that build will include leadership training for all senior staff, including myself. There is always room to grow and ensure we are all being/becoming the best version of ourselves in any business, especially when it comes to leadership to ensure that any notion of toxicity is eradicated.”

On the air since 2019, The Kelly Clarkson Show is currently planning to relocate from Los Angeles to New York. Yesterday, a representative for NBCUniversal released a statement regarding the allegations.

“We are committed to a safe and respectful work environment and take workplace complaints very seriously and to insinuate otherwise is untrue,” the rep said. “When issues are reported they are promptly reviewed, investigated and acted upon as appropriate. The Kelly Clarkson Show strives to build a safe, respectful and equitable workplace that nurtures a culture of inclusivity and creativity.”

Clarkson’s statement is below:

https://twitter.com/kellyclarkson/status/1657241268395872256

more from News