Jimmy Kimmel and Disney’s ABC are currently in negotiations to renew the long-running late-night talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" despite recent reports suggesting the program was nearing its end. This development follows a Page Six report on September 8 claiming the show would conclude after its current season, as Kimmel’s contract is set to expire in May 2027. ABC quickly denied the cancellation report, and the ongoing discussions are described as standard procedure for the series.
These talks come amid broader shifts and tensions in late-night television. In May, CBS canceled "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," a controversial move that critics claimed was designed to appease President Donald Trump during a merger between Paramount and Skydance, which required federal approval. CBS, however, maintained that the decision was strictly financial. Currently, Kimmel remains one of only three major late-night hosts on the four principal broadcast networks, alongside NBC's Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers. Other notable figures in the late-night space include Jon Stewart on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show," and John Oliver and Bill Maher on HBO. Former late-night host Conan O'Brien, who transitioned to hosting a podcast after ending his TBS talk show, predicted in 2025 that late-night television as it has been known since around 1950 is going to disappear.
"Jimmy Kimmel Live!" has been a staple of ABC's lineup since its debut in January 2003. Over the past decade, Kimmel has established himself as one of Trump's most prominent critics on television, leading the president to repeatedly call for the show's cancellation. The comedian's political commentary has occasionally drawn official scrutiny. In 2025, ABC briefly suspended Kimmel following controversial remarks he made about the killing of Charlie Kirk.
During that period, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr publicly pressured ABC to take action against the host, leading to allegations of government censorship. The tension between Kimmel and the FCC escalated on Thursday, September 10, when Kimmel released an interview with Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico on YouTube. Kimmel informed viewers that the conversation would not air on television due to what he described as pressure and threats from the FCC. Despite the regulatory friction, the Emmy-winning host decided to publish the interview online.
The White House strongly denied any such interference. In a statement on September 10, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle accused the comedian of fabricating the situation. Ingle stated that Kimmel was play-acting to create a false narrative about the administration's policies, adding that Chairman Carr had not threatened Kimmel regarding the Talarico interview or any other candidate. Ingle challenged media outlets to demand proof of the alleged threats, asserting that none would be found.
This was not the first time political figures have targeted Kimmel's position. In April, Trump demanded that ABC fire Kimmel after the host joked about first lady Melania Trump, referring to her as an "expectant widow." ABC chose not to penalize Kimmel, who defended the comment as a "very light roast joke."
Kimmel has frequently contemplated his future on late-night television. In December 2025, he renewed his contract to keep him on the air through May 2027. However, during a June profile with Vulture, Kimmel noted that renewal talks had not yet commenced at that time and admitted he did not know what ABC's plans would be. He had also hinted in 2024 that the show might be coming to an end. Despite these uncertainties, Kimmel clarified during an August appearance on the "Armchair Expert" podcast that he does not plan to retire from entertainment altogether, stating that he is never going to stop doing things. He also admitted to harboring fears about walking away from the show, noting that he has seen others express exhaustion only to make a lesser comeback later, and worries about finding himself in that same situation.
"I know people who have been in that situation," he said. "People make a big show of, 'I'm done, and I'm tired doing this,' and then they make a lesser comeback trying to do the same thing, and that's always a bummer. I always look at that and go, 'Is that going to be me?'"
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