It is produced and distributed by NBCUniversal Syndication Studios and features Clarkson interviewing celebrities and segments about "everyday people".

[2][3] Clarkson opens the program with "Kellyoke", a musical performance of a cover version of various songs requested by a member of her audience and ends with her participating in an activity with her guests.

The series premiered on September 9, 2019, in first-run syndication, with NBC Owned Television Stations serving as its main affiliate base.

In each episode audiences will experience an hour full of remarkable stories, celebrity guests, spontaneous surprises, humor, heart and, of course, good music.

Paul Telegdy, who was NBCUniversal's president of Alternative Programming, had originally scouted Clarkson to serve as a mentor—and later a coach—on NBC's music competition series The Voice.

[9] Despite being reluctant at first, Clarkson accepted the offer for the series in an effort to "connect with people, play games, music and find ways to help or give back to communities/organizations.

[11] Celebrities such as Josh Groban, Terry Crews, and Chloë Grace Moretz were reported to have participated as her guests on the pilot.

[16] Midway through the first season, production on the show was suspended on March 13, 2020, after the World Health Organization announced the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

Clarkson cited a desire to move the show to the East Coast so that she could be closer to her family in North Carolina, as well as her interest in Broadway theater.

[28] As of August, 2024, The Kelly Clarkson Show airs in every U.S. television market, as well as Puerto Rico (through WKAQ) and the U.S. Virgin Islands on WVGN.

Outside of North America, the show airs on TAP TV in the Philippines, Ireland's RTÉ, and on Australia's 7Bravo network, otherwise it is carried on Peacock where available.

[36] In December 2020, Deadline Hollywood reported that the second season has 1.6 million average daily viewers and has the youngest audience among the top four daytime shows.

"[38] Soon after, Clarkson posted a public statement on her social media accounts taking responsibility and calling the allegations and hostility 'unacceptable', and that she, along with much of the executive staff, would undergo training and refuse to allow those who abused their power to make the move to New York.