ABC refutes claims of Jimmy Kimmel Live! ending after 24 years
ABC denies reports that Jimmy Kimmel Live! is ending, calling them speculative, despite host's past retirement comments.
ABC has pushed back against reports suggesting that 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' is nearing its end after a 24-year run. An ABC Entertainment spokesperson dismissed the speculation, telling E! News that the information is inaccurate and that any talk about the show's future is "purely speculative." Representatives for Kimmel have not yet responded to requests for comment.
The denial comes as the 58-year-old host, who has fronted the program since its 2003 debut, approaches the end of his current contract. Kimmel signed a three-year extension in 2022, keeping the show on air through 2027. However, he has previously been open about his uncertainty regarding his tenure.
During a 2023 appearance on the 'Strike Force Five' podcast, Kimmel revealed he had seriously considered stepping down around the time of the Hollywood strikes. "As you know, I was very intent on retiring right around the time where the strike started," he said, adding that he later realized, "it's kinda nice to work." He also joked about his shifting stance, comparing himself to Tom Brady "without any rings or any fingers."
His wife, Molly McNearney, who serves as the show's co-head writer and executive producer, has also weighed in on the possibility of an ending. Speaking on the 'Armchair Expert' podcast in August, she said she would support Kimmel's decision to leave. "I would be happy to be done with the show and end it in a great way and do my own next thing," she said, while acknowledging the importance of the show's voice in the current climate. She added that ending the program appeals to her for the sake of their family's peace, noting that Kimmel "deserves to go out there and just be on the river and relax."