Hollywood talent manager and ex-husband of Kelly Clarkson, Brandon Blackstock, has died of cancer at 48 years old, per People. Blackstock passed away just a day after Clarkson verified rumors about her ex-husband’s health on Instagram. Clarkson announced that she would be postponing her Las Vegas residency to support her and Blackstock’s two children, writing, “While I normally keep my personal life private, this past year, my children’s father has been ill and at this moment, I need to be fully present for them.”
A representative shared a statement with People announcing the news: “It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away. Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years. He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.” In addition to the children he shared with Clarkson, 11-year-old River and 9-year-old Remington, Blackstock is also survived by two children from his marriage before Clarkson, Savannah and Seth, as well as his grandchild, Savannah’s son, Lake.
It seems Kelly Clarkson was there for Brandon Blackstock at the end
Brandon Blackstock met Kelly Clarkson at the Academy of Country Music Awards in 2006. The couple married in 2013, and Blackstock became Clarkson’s talent manager. However, their love story came to a crashing halt when the pair’s messy divorce kicked off in 2020. They cited irreconcilable differences as the reason behind the breakup, but their split was drawn out, taking two years to finalize. In the end, Clarkson was granted primary custody of their children. Ultimately, a source told People, “The divorce was difficult, but [Clarkson] recovered quickly and has no regrets.” In an interview with People, Clarkson called herself “a let-go person; I don’t hold grudges.” And it seems this helped her bounce back from her painful split from Blackstock, allowing them to co-parent.
Rumors were circling about Blackstock’s illness prior to its confirmation. Earlier this year, Clarkson was absent from “The Kelly Clarkson Show” for 10 days due to “personal reasons.” A source told NewsNation, “Her ex-husband is sick and she took the kids to see him,” noting that, despite of their past difficulties, “He is still the children’s father.” Evidently, Clarkson and their children were able to be by Blackstock’s side in his final months.
