Jennifer Hudson Fills in for Kelly Clarkson During ‘The Voice’ Season 29 Taping
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Kelly Clarkson will reportedly return to her chair on The Voice Season 29 after taking time off to be with her family following the death of her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock. Former coach Jennifer Hudson stepped in to replace Clarkson for the taping she missed.
Jennifer Hudson Fills in for Kelly Clarkson on The Voice
Last month, it was announced that Kelly Clarkson would be returning to The Voice for Season 29, alongside fellow veteran coaches Adam Levine and John Legend. The season, subtitled Battle of Champions, is expected to premiere in the spring.
Last week, it was reported that Clarkson would miss part of the filming for Season 29 following the death of her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock earlier this month. There was speculation that she might be replaced by a former coach such as Kelsea Ballerini or Miley Cyrus.
According to TMZ, it was Jennifer Hudson who ultimately stepped in to take Clarkson’s place on the show. Hudson has previously coached on the American version of The Voice, as well as The Voice UK. TMZ reports that Clarkson only missed one taping, during rehearsals for the Battle round.
The outlet confirmed that Clarkson will return to continue filming for the season. The singer is also set to start production on Season 7 of her talk show next month.
SEE ALSO: ‘THE VOICE’ ANNOUNCES SEASON 28 PREMIERE DATE AS COACHES TEASE PRODUCTION
How the Show Is Supporting Clarkson
Season 28 of The Voice has also been filming recently. This upcoming new season features coach Reba McEntire, who was also affected by Blackstock’s death, as she was formerly his stepmother. Although there were previous reports that McEntire had to miss tapings, Deadline reports that filming has been going according to plan.
The Voice host Carson Daly recently told Us Weekly that things have “been tough” on the set since Blackstock’s death, adding, “We all knew Brandon well, and we are a family.”
“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,” Daly said. “It’s really no different than what you would do for your family members. You let them know you’re there, you’re praying for them [and] you’re giving them space at the same time.”
The Voice Season 28 will also feature coaches Snoop Dogg, Niall Horan, and Michael Bublé. It is scheduled to premiere on NBC on September 22.
