ABC is pushing back hard against a new report claiming “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is set to end in 2027, calling the story “inaccurate” just as Jimmy Kimmel returns to the air for his show’s 24th season. The denial came Tuesday, September 8, hours after Page Six reported that Kimmel’s contract would not be renewed past its 2027 expiration, with a source telling the outlet, “His contract is not getting extended,” and noting that Kimmel signs one-year deals with the Disney-owned network.
An ABC Entertainment spokesperson quickly disputed the report in statements to multiple outlets, including E! News. “This information is inaccurate,” the spokesperson said. “Any reports about the future of the show at this point are purely speculative.” E! News noted it had reached out to Kimmel’s representative for comment but had not received a response by the time of publication.
Kimmel, 58, has hosted “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” since its debut in 2003, making him one of the longest-serving hosts in network late-night history, trailing only David Letterman’s 33-year run and Johnny Carson’s 30 years behind the desk. In 2022, he signed a three-year deal extending the show through 2027, though he has previously admitted to considering stepping away. On the “Strike Force Five” podcast in 2023, Kimmel said he had seriously weighed retiring around the time of the Hollywood writers’ strike, though he later said it felt “kinda nice to work.” His wife, Molly McNearney, the show’s co-head writer and executive producer, has also said she would support him if he chose to move on.
The speculation arrives against the backdrop of a turbulent stretch for Kimmel and the show, whose relationship with the Trump administration has repeatedly made headlines. Kimmel was briefly pulled off the air last fall after comments he made about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a decision that came after FCC Chair Brendan Carr publicly pressured ABC’s parent company, Disney, and Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar Media Group temporarily dropped the show from their affiliate stations. Despite the ongoing tension, some reporting has suggested any future changes to the show would be tied more to cost considerations than politics.
For now, ABC maintains that no decision has been made, and Kimmel kicked off his new season as scheduled on Tuesday night.
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M Adnan Akram is the founder and lead writer at Back Casting Room, where he covers celebrity biographies, family histories, and the lesser-known figures behind well-known names. His work focuses on separating verified public information from speculation, drawing on publicly available records, interviews, and credible reporting to build accurate, well-researched profiles.
With a particular interest in entertainment and pop culture, Adnan writes about everything from celebrity net worth breakdowns to the private individuals connected to famous names, the spouses, family members, and background figures whose stories rarely get told in full.
At Back Casting Room, the goal is straightforward: give readers accurate, well-sourced information without the clickbait or unverified claims that often surround celebrity-adjacent stories.
