Kelly Clarkson Staffer Reveals How She’s Doing After Long Absence

After Kelly Clarkson‘s unexplained and lengthy absence from her gig hosting The Kelly Clarkson Show, an unnamed source close to the set tells ET Online that the singer is doing just fine.

“Kelly is back to herself and all seems relatively back to normal,” the source states.

They didn’t explain the reason behind her time off the show, which extended through much of March. However, they did dismiss a rumor that’s been swirling about the show’s climate leading up to her absence.

That report came from the Daily Mail, who spoke to another insider claiming that staffers were “walking on eggshells” around Clarkson before she took her break from hosting.

The source said that Clarkson was formerly “accessible” and chatty, saying, “She knows the names of everyone’s husbands and kids and would ask about them by name.” But they claimed that her tone had recently changed, creating a “weird vibe” on set.

But according to the source who spoke to ET Online, those claims are inaccurate.

Read More: Kelly Clarkson Reportedly Absent From Her Show Due to ‘Family Emergency’

When Was Kelly Clarkson Absent From Her Talk Show The Kelly Clarkson Show?

According to a timeline laid out by People, Clarkson was absent on March 3, and actor Simu Liu filled in for her. She was back on March 4, and didn’t address the switch-up to the audience. She hosted on March 5, but on March 6, she was gone again — this time with comedian Roy Wood, Jr. filling in.

The singer continued to miss tapings, with a rotating cast of stars hosting the show on March 7 and March 11, March 13 and March 14.

Clarkson returned to the couch on March 18, but she didn’t address her break.

Why Did Kelly Clarkson Miss So Many Episodes of the Show?

That’s the big question. Clarkson has yet to directly address what kept her away from work, though a mid-March report from Entertainment Tonight quoted a source who said she was away from the show due to a “family emergency.”

Some fans also thought she might be hinting at the reason behind the break during the 1,000th-episode special of The Kelly Clarkson Show, during a monologue that found her reminiscing over the many segments and games in which the cast and audience have “competed together.”

She then added, “I’ve lost alone, a lot,” reassuring the audience, “it’s okay.” It could’ve just been self-deprecating humor, but given the context — and Clarkson’s history of being open about personal struggles — some viewers thought she might be alluding to something more going on in her personal life.