Kelly Clarkson has said that she - along with other members of staff on her show - will undergo training after allegations were made about a toxic work environment.
The host said that they’ll be trying to ‘ensure that any notion of toxicity is eradicated’.
Writing about the decision in an Instagram post, she explained: “In my 20 years in the entertainment industry, I’ve always led with my heart and what I believed to be right.
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“I love my team at The Kelly Clarkson Show, and to find out that anyone is feeling unheard and or disrespected on this show is unacceptable.”
Clarkson, who shot to fame on American Idol in 2002 after she won the first series, has hosted the show since 2019, but on Friday a report published in Rolling Stone cited a number of employees, alleging that the show’s team is ‘overworked’ and ‘underpaid’ by producers.
The article alleged that some had said working on the daytime talk show was having a negative impact on their mental health.
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10 former employees of the show and one current worker passed comment on the environment at The Kelly Clarkson Show, with one claiming: “I remember going up on the roof of the stage to cry, being like, ‘Oh, my gosh, what am I doing?
"'Why am I putting myself through this?’”
Another said: “I think Alex Duda’s [executive producer] a monster.
“I have a friend who’s an executive producer who warned me about taking this job, because apparently she has done this on every show she’s worked on.”
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All of the employees who featured in the article did so anonymously.
A third criticised the show’s network NBC, alleging: “NBC is protecting the show because it’s their new money maker, but Kelly has no clue how unhappy her staff is.”
However, despite criticising the team, some employees said that Clarkson herself is ‘fantastic’ and they ‘would be shocked if she knew’ about the behaviour some of the team were allegedly involved in.
In her Instagram post, Clarkson continued: “I am more committed than ever to ensuring that not only our team that is moving, but also our new team in NY, is comprised of the best and kindest in the business.”
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In a statement, NBC said: “We are committed to a safe and respectful work environment and take workplace complaints very seriously and to insinuate otherwise is untrue.
“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.”
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UNILAD has contacted NBC for an updated statement.
Topics: Celebrity, Film and TV, US News, Kelly Clarkson
Tom Wood