Reports have emerged that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” will end after this season, closing out a 24-year run. However, ABC has denied the reports, calling them speculation.
What the reports say
Page Six was the first to report that Jimmy Kimmel’s contract with ABC is not expected to be renewed once his current deal runs out in May 2027.
“His contract is not getting extended,” a source familiar with the situation told Page Six.
The current season begins Tuesday and would wrap up, after 24 years on the air, in May 2027, as per Page Six. A source told TMZ that there is talk among the staff that Jimmy has been working on pitching other shows and podcasts around town.
Kimmel prefers signing year-to-year contracts, which are uncommon in the TV business and give him more flexibility. He has also openly talked in recent months about eventually retiring, as per reports.
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ABC pushes back on the reports
ABC has denied that the show has been cancelled. “This information is inaccurate,” an ABC Entertainment spokesperson told AND! News on September 8. “Any reports about the future of the show at this point are purely speculative.”
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Is the decision linked to Trump?
Insiders told Page Six that the possible end of Kimmel’s show is unlikely to be linked to his tense relationship with the Trump administration.
Kimmel has been involved in a feud with Trump. Earlier this year, he joked that first lady Melania Trump “had a glow like an expectant widow,” days before a third assassination attempt on the president. Trump was angry and called on ABC to fire Kimmel.
Trump also criticized Kimmel over his comments about Charlie Kirk’s assassination in September 2025. The comments led to Kimmel being temporarily taken off the air under then-Disney CEO Bob Iger last September, per Page Six.
He then returned six days later after what Disney called “thoughtful conversations” with the host. Kimmel’s return attracted 6.26 million viewers, making it the show’s biggest regularly scheduled audience in more than a decade, according to TMZ.
Kimmel has been fronting the show since 2003, making him one of the longest-running network late-night hosts.
Back in 2023, Kimmel had spoken about wanting to retire. “As you know, I was very intent on retiring right around the time where the strike started,” Kimmel, 58, said on the Strike Force Five podcast. “And now I realize, ‘Oh yeah, it’s kinda nice to work.'” Joking about going back and forth on the decision, he said, “I’m Tom Brady without any rings or any fingers.”
