Katharine McPhee Offering Kellie Pickler a Lifeline During Devastating Legal Feud With In-Laws: Report

Kellie Pickler has reportedly been finding strength in her longtime friend Katharine McPhee, after the death of her husband, Kyle Jacobs, and the ongoing legal drama with his parents.

In Touch reports that Pickler, 38, and McPhee, 41, have stayed in touch since becoming famous on "American Idol" in 2006, where they both competed during Season 5. McPhee came in second, and Pickler placed sixth, and both went on to have successful music careers after the show. Though they lived in different cities—McPhee near Los Angeles and Pickler in Nashville—the two stayed friends.

"They haven't seen each other in ages but they never lost touch, and Katharine is trying to help any way she can," a source told In Touch.

Pickler's world was shattered when Jacobs killed himself in February 2023 at the age of 49. Since then, she's been locked in a court battle with her late husband's parents, Reed and Sharon Jacobs, who are co-administrators of his estate.

In legal papers, the parents sought the return of a number of personal items they said Pickler had in her possession, including a gun collection, musical instruments, watches, and jewelry. Pickler denied possession and counterclaimed that Jacobs' parents entered her home and took "some specific property" of hers without her consent. Her lawyer claimed the "right, title and possession" of the disputed property is confused and legally disputed.

Earlier in April, Reed and Sharon were said to have subpoenaed Harpeth Memorial Gardens Funeral Home & Cremation Center, where their son's remains were cremated, hoping to learn what may have been cremated with him. The funeral home has not obeyed the order as of the time of writing.

An Escape and A Shoulder To Cry On

McPhee, who has stayed close to Pickler over the years, has been offering a quiet shoulder to lean on.

"Kellie is going through hell right now, not only is she still mourning her husband, she's in this never-ending court battle with his parents," the insider told In Touch. "Katharine feels awful for her, she's been checking in on her and offering to help anyway she needs."

According to the source, McPhee has extended an open invitation for Pickler to visit and stay with her. "So far Kellie hasn't taken her up on the offer, but she's promised that when she's feeling more like herself, she'll pull the trigger and book the trip."

Meanwhile, from afar, McPhee has offered comfort. "She's sending sweet text messages to let Kellie know she's thinking of her and even flowers here and there to brighten her day."

"Katharine can't imagine the pain Kellie's suffering," the source added. "She and Kyle were so in love. To lose him the way she did and to now be at war with his parents—it's beyond heartbreaking."

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Kellie Pickler, Katharine McPhee