NEARLY a dozen current and former employees at Kelly Clarkson’s talk show have slammed the production for creating a “toxic work environment.”
And there are accusations the former American Idol winner has no idea just how bad it has gotten.
Kelly Clarkson’s talk show is facing allegations of being a poor working environmentGetty Images – Getty
The Kelly Clarkson ShowKelly may not be aware of her disgruntled employees[/caption]
One current and 10 former employees spoke to Rolling Stone under the condition of anonymity about conditions on The Kelly Clarkson Show.
None would release their names out of fear of retribution.
They recalled stories of being overworked and underpaid by producers.
“This job deteriorated my mental health,” one person said.
The group contend they were bullied and intimidated by producers who went out of their way to make staffers feel scared to ask questions and get their work done.
“People shouldn’t be treated like this,” another former employee confided. “Especially when you’re working on a TV show that’s winning Emmys and bringing in millions of ad dollars.”
Indeed, The Kelly Clarkson Show is a huge success, with 1.4 million daily viewers – well ahead of its competitors.
The show has won numerous awards, and has already been renewed through its sixth season in 2025.
“NBC is protecting the show because it’s their new moneymaker,” one employee said.”
NOT AWARE?
But Kelly, 41, may not even know how unhappy her staff really is.
Former employees say behind the scenes, there is growing tension among staffers. However, the big boss is still beloved.
“Kelly is fantastic,” one of the former employees gushed. “She is a person who never treats anyone with anything but dignity and is incredibly appreciative.
The staffer went on to say they would be “shocked” if she knew what was going on backstage,
“I’d be floored if she knew the staff wasn’t getting paid for two weeks of Christmas hiatus. The Kelly that I interacted with and that everyone knows would probably be pretty aghast to learn that.”
While the singer has yet to comment on the allegations, a representative from NBCUniversal disputed many of the claims.
“We are committed to a safe and respectful work environment and take workplace complaints very seriously and to insinuate otherwise is untrue,” an official statement given to People reads.
“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.”
Kelly and NBC did not immediately respond to The U.S. Sun’s request for comment.
ON THE MOVE
Disgruntled workers may be part of the reason Kelly is moving her show from Los Angeles to New York next season.
Kelly had previously shot New York-based premiere weeks for some of the seasons of her talk show before going back to Los Angeles for the rest of the episodes.
Now, the series will be on the East Coast full time, according to Variety.
NBC Studios in 30 Rockefeller Plaza will be the new studio home for the show, starting next season.
Fans will have a chance to be part of the live audience when it moves into studio 6A in a few months.
Instead of reusing an old set, a brand new studio and facility will be built just for Kelly’s show.
Along with Kelly, who’s big move comes a few years after her split from her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock, a couple of other key show personnel will also be heading over to New York.
Alex Duda, the show’s executive producer and showrunner, and musical director Jason Halbert will reportedly make the move.
The details on what will happen with rest of the show’s staff are still being worked out.
GettyKelly- here with Ryan Seacrest and Brian Dunkleman- rocketed to stardom winning the first season of American Idol[/caption]
GettyHer talk show attracts more than a million viewers each day[/caption]
GettyKelly and her team are moving to New York next season[/caption]
