Jimmy Kimmel is opening up about his future in late-night television, and it sounds like the longtime host has been seriously thinking about what comes next.
In a new interview with Vulture, the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” host reflected on the state of late-night TV and revealed that the recent end of Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show” has made him think more deeply about his own career.
Kimmel, 58, said he originally expected to step away from his ABC show years ago.
“Six years ago, I told them I thought I was done when Biden was president,” Kimmel said, per People.
While that timeline came and went, Kimmel admitted Colbert’s departure has left him feeling uncertain about the future of the genre.
“I feel a little bit defeated by it,” he said. “In a lot of ways, I feel like I’m looking at my own future.”
The comedian also pushed back on the idea that audiences have simply stopped watching late-night television. Kimmel argued that hosts are reaching millions of viewers online across social media and streaming platforms.
“There are far more people watching late-night TV than there ever were,” he said before adding, “We’re not just dying of natural causes. We’re being poisoned.”
Despite the uncertainty, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is expected to remain on the air through 2027.
Jimmy Kimmel Says He’s ‘Tired’ but Doesn’t Know What’s Next
Kimmel’s longtime producer, Erin Irwin, told Vulture that conversations about leaving have been happening behind the scenes for quite some time.
“He’s been talking about leaving for a while,” Irwin said.
While she hopes Kimmel stays through the 2028 presidential election cycle, she admitted she’s not sure he’ll want to continue that long.
“I don’t know if Jimmy can do it for that long,” she said. “He’s tired.”
For his part, Kimmel said he doesn’t have a clear plan for retirement but knows he’s craving something many people spend years working toward.
“Professionally, I have no idea what I’m going to do after this,” he said. “Freedom is what I want more than anything. I want to be able to go fishing because the fishing’s good.”
Per Forbes, Kimmel also revealed that he signed only a one-year extension with ABC in December instead of his typical three-year deal. He said the future of late-night television feels uncertain because “everything is so tumultuous.”
The host additionally questioned CBS’ explanation for canceling Colbert’s show. According to Forbes, Kimmel accused the network of using “made-up numbers” and challenged claims that “The Late Show” was losing $40 million annually. He also said he has been told “quite specifically” that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” remains profitable for ABC.
Kimmel Reflects on a Controversy He Still Thinks About
Elsewhere in the interview, Kimmel revisited one of the most controversial moments of his career.
According to Entertainment Weekly, the late-night host said the one apology he regrets making involved a 2013 “Kids’ Table” segment in which a child jokingly suggested “killing everyone in China” as a solution to the national debt. The joke sparked backlash at the time and led Kimmel to issue a public apology.
Looking back, Kimmel said he only apologized because of concerns surrounding Disney and ABC.
“For the good of the Disney company, I took that bullet,” he said.
The comedian added that while he generally believes in apologizing when necessary, he still values creative independence and does not want network executives dictating what he can or cannot say.
“One of the things we talked about when I first got suspended was that I can’t do this show if I’m going to be micromanaged,” Kimmel said.
