Kelly Clarkson Could Take Ellen DeGeneres' Time Slot As Show Ratings Slip: Report

Kelly Clarkson could replace Ellen DeGeneres' time slot as the ratings of the latter's show slipped.

DeGeneres, 62, will be returning for another season of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." However, there is only one year left on her existing deal and she would be entering talks about her show next month, Page Six reported.

"Ellen" has experienced a drop in ratings. The official stats revealed that its ratings have slipped eight percent while Clarkson's "The Kelly Clarkson Show" has hit a season-high and even matched DeGeneres' numbers for the first time. Clarkson could take DeGeneres' 3 p.m. slot if "Ellen" would end, TV insiders claimed.

"Telepictures knows Ellen wants out, but execs want to keep the time slots and put another host in her place," an insider told Page Six. "Kelly would likely get Ellen’s time slots, but Telepictures will fight to keep them."

NBC chiefs wooed the "American Idol" champ for years before she agreed to do her eponymous show, which is produced and distributed by NBCUniversal Domestic Television Distribution in September 2019. The show earned three Daytime Emmy Awards at the 47th Daytime Emmy Awards including Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host for Clarkson.

However, DeGeneres owns the rights to her show. So, it would be impossible to just replace her as the host. If she would exit the show, fans could expect the network to launch a fresh format with a new host.

"The Ellen DeGeneres Show" has been losing sponsors following the toxic workplace allegations that hit the show last year. It has fewer advertisers and sponsors last December compared to the past years, according to a current employee. Also, the staffers were allegedly not able to produce new content due to less advertising money, so they recycled old video clips from previous seasons.

"In a typical year, ‘12 Days of Giveaways’ is huge. We’ve basically claimed Christmas on daytime TV. When you think of Christmas on TV, you think of The Ellen Show," the employee said.

"Everyone wants to be in the audience. Everyone wants the gifts. And so we line up all these crazy sponsors, and people love it. But this year, our ‘12 Days’ is more condensed. We don’t have as many sponsors."