A report surfaced in September 2026 that Jimmy Kimmel‘s late-night ABC speak present, “Jimmy Kimmel Reside!”, would finish after his present contract expires. ABC has debunked the report, however Disney government Dana Walden now appears to counsel that his future with the corporate is unsure, whereas acknowledging that his scores have elevated.
Disney President Dana Walden Says Late-Evening TV Is ‘Difficult’
Walden appeared on Bloomberg’s “Screentime” in October 2026 and mentioned a wealth of matters involving Disney, together with the rumblings about Kimmel’s future internet hosting “Jimmy Kimmel Reside!” for ABC. When discussing the present and the host, the Disney head admitted that regardless of progress, late-night tv has modified.
She stated, “It’s a really difficult daypart, late-night.” Relating to the long-running host, Walden stated, “That’s to not say that Jimmy will not be doing an outstanding job, and his scores are up, however they’re up relative to a smaller viewers that’s watching late-night on broadcast tv.”
From there, Walden famous clear curiosity in Kimmel’s present, citing his engagement on social media with clips from the present. In response to her, “Clearly, there’s a YouTube channel. Hundreds of thousands of persons are watching elements of that present on demand. That’s not a profitable alternative for a really premium speak present.”
Dana Walden Says The Firm Loves Kimmel
Chatting with Bloomberg’s “Screentime,” the Disney president not solely mentioned Kimmel’s worth as on-air expertise, but in addition referred to him as a buddy. She stated, relating to the way forward for the present, “So we’re attempting to make sense of the enterprise whereas additionally honoring a deep partnership.”
Walden continued, “I like Jimmy. We’ve got an important friendship. He’s near plenty of the folks at Disney, and once more, we’re attempting to work by means of it and make sense of each. What does Jimmy need? What’s the suitable factor to do, and what’s the suitable factor for our enterprise?”
Relating to Walden’s tenure as Disney president and Chief Inventive Officer, she formally took over the position in March 2026. She beforehand served as the corporate’s Co-Chair of Leisure.
The Preliminary Report Stated ‘Kimmel’ Would Finish In 2027
Page Six reported on September 8 that “Jimmy Kimmel Reside!” wouldn’t be renewed past its present season, together with his present contract rumored to finish in Might 2027. An insider informed the outlet, “His contract will not be getting prolonged.”
The insider additionally stated the present’s alleged cancellation was not the results of Kimmel’s ongoing feud with the Trump administration. Nonetheless, an ABC spokesperson responded to the report, telling the outlet, “[This] info is inaccurate — any experiences about the way forward for the present at this level are purely speculative.”
Jimmy Kimmel Stays Quantity One In Late-Evening
ABC launched a press release in September 2026, revealing that the 2025-2026 season of “Jimmy Kimmel Reside!” averaged 2 million viewers. This determine is notable because it gave the host his most-watched season in eight years. “Reside!” carried out particularly nicely with 18-49 viewers, averaging a 0.18 share and making it the highest late-night present on this demographic.
Moreover, the latest season, which premiered on September 21, averaged 2.29 million complete viewers and remained the most-watched present within the style.
Kimmel Is Producing A number of Initiatives
Along with being on-air expertise, Kimmel can be a famous producer, together with the revival of “Who Desires to Be a Millionaire,” which he additionally hosts for ABC. Considered one of his upcoming initiatives the place he’ll function an government producer is the Netflix documentary “SCTV: The Best Present You’ve By no means Heard Of.” It premieres October 30.
Kimmel can be producing a brand new household competitors collection for the streaming large, “SCHOOLED,” hosted by Mark Rober. The present doesn’t have a launch date but.
