Published May 29, 2026
There were tears, hugs and one very relatable “I’m fine” moment on The Kelly Clarkson Show this week after Rita Wilson surprised Kelly Clarkson with an emotional tribute that completely caught her off guard.
During the May 27 episode, Wilson paused the conversation just before the segment wrapped and decided to give Clarkson her flowers while she still has the daytime TV throne.
“I just wanna say one thing before we go,” Wilson began.
“I wanna thank you for the years that you’ve been doing your show,” she continued.
“I wanna thank you for literally changing the game when it came to daytime television. The fact that you love music. That you have brought so much music to daytime that you have shared with us.”
Wilson kept going, praising Clarkson’s voice, her band and the way she turned daytime TV into a full-on concert series.
“I really wanna thank you because it has made a big change in my life. So thank you, Kelly.”
That’s when Clarkson’s composure officially clocked out. As the audience cheered, the singer mouthed, “I’m fine,” before immediately proving she was absolutely fine by getting up to hug Wilson.
“Oh my God!” Clarkson laughed. “I’m like, ‘Shut it off!’ It’s okay.”
The emotional moment comes months after Clarkson announced her talk show will end after this season so she can focus more on her children following major personal changes in her life.
“This was not an easy decision,” Clarkson previously shared, explaining that stepping away from the daily schedule felt “necessary and right for this next chapter.”