Brandon Blackstock Was Diagnosed With Cancer After His Divorce From Kelly Clarkson: Source

After Brandon Blackstock passed away from cancer on Thursday, August 7, an insider confirmed "he was diagnosed after" his divorce from Kelly Clarkson was finalized.

Blackstock died from melanoma skin cancer, which he battled for three years before dying at the age of 48.

“Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years,” his family wrote in a statement. “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.”

The talent manager married Clarkson in 2013 and later filed for a divorce in 2020, citing irreconcilable differences. Their divorce was finalized in March 2022.

The former couple welcomed two children, River, 11, and Remington, 9. Throughout the last year, the American Idol star was scrutinized by the media for her consistent absence on The Kelly Clarkson Show as well as for canceling scheduled performances.

The mom-of-two was left to defend herself against untrue narratives, some of which stemmed from her own employees, who claimed Kelly was “flaky.”

Although the “Since U Been Gone” singer often deflected questions about why she remained absent from her career responsibilities, when she did provide answers, she leaned heavily on needing to support her children.

In an interview on Today With Jenna & Friends in May, Kelly explained how taxing her schedule was. She expressed how making time for her kids and their changing agendas at school was her priority despite being unable to keep up with it all. “I’m trying to just be there… it’s a lot,” she admitted.

When Kelly returned to her talk show in March after missing at least nine episodes, she candidly told her audience, “I’ve lost, alone, a lot.” Without more detail, fans were left confused about the background of Kelly’s life.

While it’s unknown when the artist was made aware of Brandon’s cancer diagnosis, a source revealed to an outlet that when she found out, she did everything she could to protect their children — even if that meant facing public scrutiny.

“When she found out that he was sick, she remained protective of him for their sake,” the source said. “Kelly has always tried to keep things classy. It became clear earlier this year that Brandon was not doing well. She’s been devastated for the kids.”