Jimmy Kimmel may have spent decades joking about his place in late-night television, but ABC says reports that his long-running talk show is heading for the exit are getting ahead of the facts.
Speculation surrounding the future of Jimmy Kimmel Live! intensified after a report claimed the upcoming season would be the show’s last. The report suggested Kimmel’s contract would not be extended beyond its current term, potentially bringing one of late night’s longest-running programs to an end.
ABC quickly pushed back.
A network spokesperson disputed the report and said information claiming the show was set to end was inaccurate. ABC also characterized current reports about the program’s future as speculation, leaving the door open to what happens beyond Kimmel’s existing agreement.
Kimmel’s current deal keeps him at ABC through May 2027, meaning viewers should not expect the comedian to disappear from the network’s late-night lineup anytime soon.
The timing of the speculation is particularly notable. Kimmel is returning from his summer break as his show enters another season after nearly 24 years on television. Actors Andrew Garfield and Joey King were among the guests lined up for the season premiere.
Kimmel has become one of the defining figures of the modern late-night era since Jimmy Kimmel Live! debuted on ABC in 2003. His lengthy run has unfolded during a period of dramatic change for the format, including the departures of several prominent hosts and growing competition from streaming, social media and digital entertainment.
That longevity naturally makes questions about his eventual departure a recurring subject. But speculation about when Kimmel might leave and an official cancellation are two very different things.
At the moment, ABC has announced no such ending.
Unless that changes, Kimmel still has a desk, a microphone and plenty more late-night television ahead of him.
