Jimmy Kimmel Live!, which is helmed by titular host Jimmy Kimmel, is expected to conclude after the 2026-27 television season when its contract expires. ABC has not confirmed nor denied the report, referring to it as “speculative.”
A source familiar with the situation told Page Six that the host’s contract “is not getting extended.” The current season began with Kimmel’s return from a two-month hiatus on September 8 and is scheduled to end in May 2027, which would mark 24 years on ABC.
An ABC Entertainment spokesperson responded by stating that the report is “inaccurate,” adding that, “any reports about the future of the show at this point are purely speculative.” No other official network statement on the show’s long-term status has been issued.
Kimmel has historically signed one-year deals with the network. The most recent extension, announced in December 2025, took the program through May 2027 after the prior contract was due to expire in May 2026.
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Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show set to end after next season after 24 years https://t.co/0sGYE56ggG pic.twitter.com/aBOKqyqXD7
— Page Six (@PageSix) September 8, 2026
The report comes nearly a year after Kimmel was briefly taken off the air after he advanced the false claim that Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was killed by a supporter of President Donald Trump.
“We had some new lows over the weekend, with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel stated without any evidence to support the alleged gunman’s “MAGA” views.”
In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving. On Friday, the White House flew the flags at half-staff, which got some criticism. But on a human level, you can see how hard the president is taking this,” he added before cutting to an out-of-context clip to claim Trump hardly cared about Kirk’s murder. “This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish, okay?”
On his return episode, Kimmel claimed it was never his intention to blame any specific group. Affiliate owners Nexstar and Sinclair initially declined to air the program before later restoring it.
Kimmel has discussed a possible conclusion in prior interviews. After The Late Show with Stephen Colbert ended, he said he felt “a little bit defeated by it” and that “in a lot of ways, I feel like I’m looking at my own future.”
He added, “It’s important to me to be responsible. I know I could go out in a blaze of glory and get a lot of applause for it, but it would be a very selfish thing to do.” His producer Erin Irwin said he has “been talking about leaving for a while” and “he’s tired.”
