Jimmy Kimmel’s Show Extended Despite Controversy
ABC has decided to extend “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” for at least another year, despite Kimmel facing suspension last month due to his controversial remarks about Charlie Kirk, the assassinated founder of Turning Point USA, according to reports. The show will now run on the Disney-owned network until at least May 2027.
Kimmel, who is 58 and currently under a contract that expires in May 2026, informed his staff about the renewal on Monday. It seems this deal had been in the works for some time, as sources noted that Kimmel and Disney chose to delay the announcement out of respect for fellow late-night host Stephen Colbert.
Colbert’s show is set to conclude in May 2026, and Kimmel apparently wanted to avoid any overlap, which makes sense considering the competitive nature of late-night TV.
However, the plans to announce the renewal shifted dramatically following Kimmel’s backlash for his remarks regarding Kirk’s death. The ABC comedian commented that Republicans might exploit the tragedy and even hinted at conservative involvement.
In September, ABC suspended him shortly after FCC Chairman Brendan Kerr warned that they needed to tread carefully. This led Nexstar and Sinclair, which own a majority of ABC affiliates, to remove Kimmel’s show from broadcast as part of a broader scrutiny of media practices.
Amidst calls from left-leaning politicians and comedians urging for Kimmel’s reinstatement, he returned to the airwaves just days after his suspension. He insisted he didn’t intend to make light of Kirk’s murder, yet he didn’t apologize either, which is a bit… well, complicated.
Interestingly, upon his return, Kimmel’s ratings soared, drawing in around 6.3 million viewers for his first show back. Since then, he has averaged about 1.9 million viewers in the third quarter of the year, placing him right behind the other top late-night shows.
Former President Trump has continued to criticize Kimmel, notably commenting on the comedian’s reaction to the Epstein file, where he suggested Trump “loses his mind.” This ongoing tension adds another layer to the late-night landscape and perhaps illustrates how polarizing Kimmel has become.
Having hosted “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” since 2003, Kimmel is undeniably a key figure at ABC and frequently engages with the network’s advertising events and major shows like the Oscars. Moreover, he’s also leading the reboot of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”
Despite his long-standing popularity, Kimmel’s show, like many others in late-night TV, faces challenges in attracting and retaining viewers, particularly amid fierce competition on social media platforms. The show operates with a reduced staff after significant cutbacks over the years, which complicates matters even further.
