Kelly Clarkson has broken her silence after her talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, was accused of "overworking" and "underpaying" employees.
Taking to Instagram on Saturday morning, the 41-year-old responded to the allegations, sharing a statement which read: "In my 20 years in the entertainment industry, I've always led with my heart and what I believed to be right. I love my team at 'The Kelly Clarkson Show' and to find out anyone is feeling unheard and or disrespected on this show is unacceptable.
"I have always been, and will continue to be, committed to creating and maintaining a safe and healthy environment at 'The Kelly Clarkson Show'." She continued: "As we prepare for a move to the East Coast, 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.
"Part of that build will include leadership training for all of the senior staff, including myself. There is always room to grow and ensure we are all being/becoming the best version of ourselves in any business, especially when it comes to leadership to ensure that any notion of toxicity is eradicated – Kelly."
Kelly's statement comes after a report published in Rolling Stone on Friday alleged that producers on her show "overworked" and "underpaid" crew members "and that working at the show was traumatizing to their mental health".
Kelly reportedly had "no clue how unhappy" the team is, with the accusations leveled at executive producer Alex Duda. Rolling Stone spoke to 10 former employees and one current employee, who all shared that they don't believe the host has any sense of what is happening behind the scenes.
"Kelly is fantastic. She is a person who never treats anyone with anything but dignity and is incredibly appreciative," one former employee said. "I would be shocked if she knew. 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."
However, the staffers claimed that executive producer Alex often yelled and cursed at them during production and that many of them took a leave of absence because their mental health was suffering, and they experienced physical signs of distress. They have also accused producers of intimidating low-level staffers, leaving them scared to ask questions, with one claiming that the show "is by far the worst experience I've ever had in my entire life".
An NBCUniversal spokesperson told HELLO!: “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."
After four seasons, The Kelly Clarkson Show continues to dominate the ratings and recently received 11 Daytime Emmy Award nominations, including Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host for Kelly, the fourth in a row since the NBC show's 2019 premiere.
Earlier in May it was confirmed that the show was moving production to 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York, the home of some of the network's most beloved shows such as its late-night fare and Saturday Night Live.
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