Jimmy Kimmel may be approaching the end of one of late-night television’s longest-running chapters, though ABC is pushing back on reports that a decision has already been made.
Page Six reported on Tuesday, September 8, that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is expected to conclude in 2027 after its upcoming season, potentially bringing Kimmel’s 24-year run on the ABC program to a close.
Kimmel, 58, has hosted the late-night series since its 2003 debut. According to the outlet, the new season begins Tuesday and could end with his final episode in May.
Is ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Really Ending?
A source familiar with the situation told Page Six, “His contract is not getting extended.” ABC, however, disputed the report and stressed that the program’s future has not been settled publicly.
A spokesperson for ABC Entertainment told the outlet, “[this] information is inaccurate – any reports about the future of the show at this point are purely speculative.”
That leaves Kimmel’s future with the network uncertain for now. The host has traditionally signed shorter, year-to-year agreements rather than the longer multiyear contracts common in television, giving him added flexibility when deciding how long he wants to continue the show.
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Kimmel has been behind the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” desk for more than two decades, making him one of the longest-tenured hosts in network late-night history.
The show has become one of ABC’s signature entertainment programs, mixing celebrity interviews, comedy segments, and musical performances. If the reported 2027 departure happens, Kimmel would leave after 24 years on the air.
DisneyThe report comes after Kimmel signed a one-year contract extension in December, despite previously suggesting that his current deal could be his last.
“I think this is my final contract, I hate to even say it, because everyone’s laughing at me now — each time I think that, and then it turns out to be not the case,” Kimmel told the Los Angeles Times in February 2024. “I still have a little more than two years left on my contract, and that seems pretty good, that seems like enough.”
DisneyKimmel ultimately chose to stay on for another year, announcing the extension on Instagram in December with a characteristically self-deprecating message: “I am pleased to announce another no-talent year!”
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The report arrives as Kimmel continues to collect industry recognition outside his nightly program.
He won a Creative Arts Emmy on Saturday for hosting ABC’s “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” marking his second consecutive win for the game show. Kimmel began hosting the revived series in 2020.
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is also nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series and Outstanding Variety Series at the Primetime Emmy Awards on September 14.
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DisneyThe program also recently welcomed Rosie O’Donnell for a four-night guest-hosting stint that reportedly performed well in the ratings.
A source told Page Six that Rosie was “in her element” during the run.
The possible end of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” would come during a period of major change across late-night television. CBS recently ended “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert in May, adding to questions about how traditional network late-night programming will evolve.
For now, though, ABC maintains that any declaration about Kimmel’s departure is premature.
