AceShowbiz - Kelly Clarkson reflected on the journey of "The Kelly Clarkson Show" in an emotionally charged speech as she returned on screen after a period of absence. "Welcome to the Kelly Clarkson Show and our 1,000th episode," said the "Stronger" singer in a promotional clip for the landmark episode.

Recalling the program's history, Clarkson continued, "Our show premiered on September 9, 2019, with the help of some great friends. Over the next five and a half years, we have made 999 episodes. I cannot believe today marks the 1,000th. It's crazy."

Over the years, the 42-year-old singer has showcased a variety of talents, celebrities, and inspirational everyday heroes. "We created a community and supported each other through a lot of ups and downs," she added.

In a rare unscripted moment, Clarkson talked about her personal life. "A lot of ups and downs personally as well," she reflected, referring to her tribulations which likely include her divorce from Brandon Blackstock and weight loss journey.

She spoke with a voice tinged with emotion, "I've lost, alone, a lot." Then, showing her resilience, she joked, "It's OK," with a shrug.

Despite moving the show from LA to New York and the challenges presented by the pandemic, Clarkson stayed focused on the positives. "For 1,000 episodes, we have laughed together, we have cried together with beautiful stories, sang together with some people, danced together, celebrated and competed together."

Clarkson expressed her gratitude, "And along the way, we found comfort in one another. And looking back, we are all incredibly proud of what we've built and the community we've created. I am grateful to everyone who has been a part of this journey. It has been such a cool time. Thank you so much."

Thursday's episode featured a blend of appearances from celebrities like Tyler Perry and Alicia Vikander, and a musical performance by Venezuelan duo Mau y Ricky.

During Clarkson's recent absence, celebrity friends like Kal Penn, Roy Wood Jr., Wanda Sykes, and others stepped in to cover for her. Guest host Simu Liu addressed her mysterious March 3 absence, "I did not know that I was doing this until about five minutes ago..."

Executive producer Alex Duda dismissed concerns as "much ado about nothing." Duda explained, "Every season there's been a period where we had to go to guest hosts for one reason or another..."

NBCUniversal's Tracie Wilson echoed these sentiments, appreciating the fans' dedication, "Yes, we've had guest hosts a lot over the years, so it's just something about this year. But you're right, people love their Kelly and they want her on the air, so we appreciate that."