THE VOICE staff has been issued a stern warning about Kelly Clarkson’s return to the show following the tragic death of her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, The U.S. Sun has learned.

The pop star returned to film season 29 of the NBC singing competition show just weeks after her ex-husband and father of her children, Brandon, passed away from cancer at age 48.

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Now that the show’s filming has returned in full swing, a production insider has given more insight into how Brandon’s death impacted the creation of the upcoming season.

“[Brandon’s] passing delayed some crucial parts of the season, like certain tapings and shooting promo but they were able to make up for loss time so ultimately, it ended up getting evened out.

“When [Kelly] came back, [the production team] was all told not to bring it up. Not to bring up Brandon, even if just to say we were sorry.

“I mean look, I get it, she was there to work and doesn’t need to be reminded of this tragedy every 5 seconds. It’d be too emotional.

“And everyone on the set loves Kelly, no one wants to upset her so they were happy to oblige,” the insider explained.

They added that overall, Kelly, 43, was “flooded” with love and support from crew members, but once on set, everyone kept it “strictly professional” to avoid adding to the emotional toll.

ALL-WINNERS SEASON

For season 29, the American Idol victor will be joined by fellow coaches Adam Levine and John Legend for a special all-winner’s season of the NBC competition show, which airs in Spring 2026.

Filming the blind auditions and battle rounds for season 29 took place in August and September, when Kelly was mourning the loss of her former husband, Brandon.

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Despite his passing being so fresh, Kelly made her way to the Universal Studios set in Hollywood, where The Voice films, to continue her role as a coach.

According to an insider who was present at the taping in late September, Kelly was “very solemn” and “way less chatty” than filming the show in the past.

“She was professional and did all her bits and hit her marks, but she didn’t seem as happy, outgoing, or excited as she was previously on The Voice.

“At one point during her contestant’s performance of an emotional ballad during the Battle Rounds, Kelly wiped away some tears.

“I think she looked around to do it when the cameras weren’t on her and the lights were dim.

“She seemed to try to hold it together, but when the cameras weren’t on her, she let out some tears,” the source claimed.

Kelly’s ex, Brandon, 48, who is the father of her two children, River Rose, 11, and Remy Alexander, 9, died after a more than three-year battle with melanoma on August 7.

SHOWING HER VOICE

The singer became a fan-favorite on The Voice since she joined all the way back in 2018 – even winning the show four times.

She became a part of the NBC Universal family as part of a deal that was handled by her then-manager and then-husband, Brandon.

The deal included not only Kelly’s spot on The Voice, but also snagged her a slot with her very own talk show.

The Kelly Clarkson Show has become a huge hit for the network and came back on air in late September following a Summer hiatus.

In her first time addressing the tragedy publicly, Kelly told her audience on the premiere that her “world feels very heavy” since Brandon’s death.

Speaking to the studio audience, she said: “It’s great to see all y’all again. I feel like it’s been a minute.

“That was Blinding Lights by The Weeknd. I love that song; it makes me feel good. I feel like it’s the perfect song to kick us off because light has been a constant theme for us on this show since the beginning.

“We’ve seen a lot in the past six years, and sometimes the world can be very heavy.

“I’ve always said my favorite part of doing this job, and I stand by it, is finding the light and shining it on people who are really trying to make a difference.”

The Voice season 28, starring Reba, Michael Buble, Niall Horan, and Snoop Dogg, is currently airing on NBC, while season 29 will premiere in early 2026.

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