Standing her ground. Kelly Clarkson is prepared to fight for what she wants in her divorce from Brandon Blackstock, an insider exclusively reveals to Us Weekly.
“She is devoting 100 percent of any free time she has preparing for the trial,” the source says of the Grammy winner, 39. “When not filming her talk show, she is hunkered down with [attorney] Laura Wasser.”
The “Breakaway” singer was declared legally single in September 2021, but she and the talent manager, 45, are still hammering out the details of their split. The Kelly Clarkson Show host initially filed for divorce in June 2020, citing “irreconcilable differences.” The former spouses, who tied the knot in October 2013, share daughter River, 7, and son Remington, 5.
Clarkson and Blackstock agreed on a custody arrangement in November 2020, but the insider tells Us that the financial aspects of the divorce aren’t likely to be settled so smoothly.
“She will not even entertain the idea of settling with Brandon,” the source explains. “He will not get one penny from her that isn’t ordered by the judge. It’s going to be nasty.”
The duo have been fighting over their Montana ranch, which the American Idol winner initially wanted to sell. Blackstock previously testified that he wanted to leave the entertainment industry behind and become a full-time rancher, claiming that he needed the ranch for his business.
In August 2021, a judge ruled that the Texas native would be responsible for the monthly costs of maintaining the ranch. If he failed to keep up with the payments, then the “Miss Independent” singer would be allowed to try to sell it.
Four months later, Clarkson failed in her bid to have Blackstock evicted from the ranch. “He has been living in it and said he doesn’t have the financial means to afford to purchase a residence of his own at this time, citing the unresolved financial aspect of their divorce,” an insider told Us in December 2021.
Earlier this month, the Voice coach agreed to give her ex-husband a 5.12 percent share of the Montana property, equaling $908,800 of its total $17,750,000 value. A trial over the rest of their property is scheduled to begin early next month.
For more on Clarkson and Blackstock’s messy divorce battle, watch the video above.