Kelly Clarkson opens up about her marriage to ex-husband Brandon Blackstock as she tells John Cena what she was ‘HORRIBLE’ at remembering

In a candid conversation with actor and WWE star John Cena on Monday’s episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, Kelly Clarkson provided a rare glimpse into her past marriage with Brandon Blackstock, revealing a particular quirk they shared—forgetting their wedding anniversary.

The 42-year-old singer and talk show host, who finalized her divorce from Blackstock in 2021, humorously admitted to Cena that she and her ex-husband were both ‘horrible’ at remembering their special day.

Clarkson initiated the chat by discussing Cena’s unique marital situation, asking, “I hear you had two weddings, one wasn’t enough?” Cena, 47, explained that he and his wife, Shay Shariatzadeh, chose to have two ceremonies: the first during the pandemic in October 2020, and a second celebration in Vancouver in January 2022.

“We chose to get married during the pandemic and that was because we wanted to share with each other our promise to spend our life together,” Cena said. “And, we wanted to surround ourselves with those we love when the world opened and gave us an opportunity to do that. We were grateful enough to have two weddings which means two anniversaries, and another two days in the calendar we can look at each other’s eyes and realize we both made the right choice.”

Reflecting on Cena’s sweet story, Clarkson quipped, “I feel like such a jerk. I have a problem remembering one anniversary [and] you have to remember two!” Cena playfully responded, “I’m not saying sometimes they don’t slip my mind.”

Making light of her own experience, Clarkson confessed, “I’m the worst. Luckily my ex was too – we were both horrible.” Clarkson and Blackstock tied the knot on October 20, 2013, in Walland, Tennessee. Before filing for divorce in June 2020, the couple welcomed two children: daughter River, 10, and son Remington, 8. During their marriage, Blackstock also served as Clarkson’s manager.

Despite their divorce being finalized in March 2022, legal battles between Clarkson and Blackstock continue, particularly over missing commission fees. The former couple is scheduled to head to court in August to resolve whether the fees Blackstock collected on deals he helped broker for Clarkson violated the California Talent Agencies Act. The law restricts anyone other than licensed talent agents from taking commissions on deals procured for professional artists.

In November, a California labor commissioner ruled that Blackstock owed Clarkson $2.6 million for securing deals he was not legally allowed to. Clarkson, however, has claimed that Blackstock’s violations date back to 2007, seeking a more thorough accounting in a March lawsuit.

Despite these ongoing legal issues, Clarkson has expressed that she has “no regrets” about ending her nearly seven-year marriage. A source close to Clarkson told People magazine that the singer is doing better than ever, having relocated from Los Angeles to New York and focusing on her children, for whom she has primary custody.

“She is happy that she left LA for NY. She has the primary custody of the kids and is a great mom,” the insider said. “Although she loves working, the kids are her world.”

As Clarkson continues to thrive both personally and professionally, her openness about her past marriage and her ability to find humor in the difficulties serves as a testament to her resilience and positive outlook on life.