Here's the Real Reason 'The Voice' Coach Kelly Clarkson Won't Be Present for the First Battle Round of the Season

Two decades after winning American Idol, Kelly Clarkson has become a small screen heavyweight. After earning three Daytime Emmy awards for The Kelly Clarkson Show and even being asked to return to the show that got her started, Kelly has proven that she’s a force to be reckoned with, but her co-coaches on The Voice are ready for battle.

As we approach the Battle Rounds, viewers notice that Kelly isn’t in her usual big red seat. But why? Is Kelly Clarkson leaving The Voice? 

As of now, there are no indications that Kelly Clarkson will leave The Voice, but she will be absent during the upcoming Battle Rounds, which were initially filmed in late January.

Kelly, who was sick at the time, called in reinforcements to temporarily manage #TeamKelly during her downtime, but we’re sure that she will return to claim her throne after March 29. Kelly previously coached on The Voice for one season before she left and returned for Season 14. 

Meanwhile, former celebrity guest coach Kelsea Ballerini is holding down the fort until Kelly gets back. Host Carson Daly teased, “Unfortunately, our own Kelly Clarkson was not feeling well this week. Kelly’s staying at home and she’s watching the battles remotely.”

In the past, Kelsea and Kelly have worked together on The Voice, with Kelsea joining Kelly’s team as an advisor in 2019. Kelly wrote in an Instagram post, “Thank you so much [Kelsea Ballerini] for sitting in for me while I was feeling under the weather! I know my team is in great hands with you!! Y'all aren't going to want to miss this!! The battles start next week on [The Voice]! #TeamKelly #TheVoice."

Kelsea was equally grateful to Kelly for the opportunity to “keep her seat warm” in her absence. She wrote in a tweet, “When [Kelly Clarkson] calls and asks you to keep her seat warm, you put all those years of being her super fan to work. Thank you [John Legend], [Nick Jonas], and ole pops [Blake Shelton] for making me feel like part of the [The Voice] family.” 

She added in a subsequent tweet, “I’m forever #teamkelly ... see y’all at the battle rounds!”

March 22 marks the end of the Blind Auditions and we’re sure that Kelly had to be pretty sick to miss out on the first Battle Round of the season. Which has a lot of fans asking: Does she have COVID-19?

Kelly Clarkson took a week off for the filming of the Battle Rounds, but it doesn’t appear that she was diagnosed with COVID-19. Last November, multiple staff members of The Kelly Clarkson Show tested positive for COVID-19 despite following protocols. Kelly had previously shut down production of the show in March, finishing out the rest of the season remotely. 

She wrote in an Instagram message at the time, “As you may know, production on The Kelly Clarkson Show was temporarily shut down late last night ... out of concern and care for everyone’s safety ... For now, please keep your loved ones close, safe and healthy."

According to representatives, Kelly was safe from the outbreak on-set and, to our knowledge, has never tested positive for COVID-19. 

Catch The Voice Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.