Sorry, American Idol fans. While it would be a full-circle moment to bring Kelly Clarkson on as a judge, the singer revealed why she has no plans to replace Katy Perry next season.
Clarkson — who won the first-ever season of American Idol in 2002 — recently shut down the idea of returning to the long-running singing competition show in an interview with Entertainment Tonight.
“No. No. I can’t do that, only because I promised my kids. I was like, ‘I wanna be there as much as I possibly can,’” she told the outlet. “And it would put me in L.A., and that’s why I had to quit The Voice, which I love that team. And I miss them so much.”
The “Breakaway” songstress previously opened up about her decision to leave The Voice, telling USA Today, “I love that family, but I was like, ‘I’m struggling. I can’t smile anymore. I don’t feel like smiling.’”
Clarkson ultimately decided to relocate her eponymous daytime talk show to New York City for a “fresh start” before her Season 5 premiere last fall.
“I wanted a life for us. And we enjoy the park every day, and we enjoy each other,” she explained to ET. “As a parent — people get this — you only get so much time until they don’t want to hang out with you. That’s the reason [I can’t do Idol]. It’s my kiddos.”
Perry announced in February that she would be stepping away from American Idol after seven seasons of judging alongside Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie.
“I think this probably will be my last show, my last season for Idol,” she said during her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. “I mean I love Idol so much. It’s connected me with the heart of America, but I feel like I need to go out and feel that pulse to my own beat.”
She added, “I have some things planned for this year, so it’s going to be a very, very exciting year. I love the show so much but I wanna go and see the world and maybe bring new music.”
The singer’s replacement has yet to be announced, though Meghan Trainor previously tossed her hat in the ring, telling ET, “There’s nothing I want more in life than to be a judge on American Idol.”
The post Kelly Clarkson Reveals Why She Won’t Replace Katy Perry On ‘American Idol’: “I Can’t Do That” appeared first on Decider.
