Trending badgeTrendingPosted 2 hours agoSubscribe to BuzzFeed Daily NewsletterCaret DownWe Have A New Report On How Kelly Clarkson Privately Navigated Brandon Blackstock's Cancer Battle Following Their "Incredibly Difficult" Divorce"It became clear earlier this year that Brandon was not doing well..."by Ellen DurneyBuzzFeed StaffFacebookPinterestLink On Thursday, Aug. 7, People confirmed that Kelly Clarkson's ex-husband and former talent manager, Brandon Blackstock, has died from cancer at age 48. Rachel Murray / Getty Images "It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away," a representative for his family told the outlet, revealing that he "bravely battled cancer for more than three years." "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." Taylor Hill / Getty Images For context, Brandon's cancer diagnosis was kept private until now. The first time we heard he was "ill" was on Wednesday, Aug. 6, when Kelly announced that she was postponing the remaining August dates of her Las Vegas residency in order to be with her family. In a statement via Instagram, she told fans: "This past year, my children's father has been ill and at this moment, I need to be fully present for them." View this photo on Instagram Instagram: @kellyclarkson Kelly and Brandon were married from 2013 to 2020, and share two children: 11-year-old River Rose and 9-year-old Remington Alexander. Brandon also has two older kids, Seth and Savannah, from his previous marriage to Melissa Ashworth. Rich Fury / Getty Images Now, following the news of Brandon's death, a source has shared more insight into how Kelly privately navigated her ex's cancer battle in the years after their acrimonious divorce. Debra L Rothenberg / Getty Images "When she found out that he was sick, she remained protective of him for their sake," the insider told People in a new report, adding that "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," they added. Chris Polk / Getty Images As you may remember, Kelly and Brandon's divorce, which was finalized in 2022, involved a messy legal battle centered around a financial dispute stemming from Kelly's time being managed by Brandon under his family's talent agency, Starstruck Management Group. The exes settled their cases in May 2024. David Crotty / Getty Images In the new People report, the insider reflected on Kelly and Brandon's "incredibly difficult" divorce, describing it as "messy, painful and something she felt terrible about." And in spite of the legal drama, they said it was important to Kelly to keep things positive for their shared family, saying: "She always wanted her kids to have the best relationship possible with their dad. She never spoke poorly about Brandon to the kids." Christopher Polk / Getty Images At the time of writing, Kelly has not publicly addressed Brandon's death. But we'll be sure to keep you updated if she does. In the meantime, we're sending our well-wishes to the entire family.