ABC Pushes Back on Report That Jimmy Kimmel Live! Could End After 2027
The future of Jimmy Kimmel Live! has suddenly become the subject of intense speculation after a report claimed that Jimmy Kimmel’s contract would not be extended beyond the current season.
The report, published as Kimmel returned to ABC for another season, suggested that the long-running late-night program could conclude in May 2027, ending Kimmel’s more than two-decade run on the network.
But ABC is pushing back.
An ABC Entertainment spokesperson called the report “inaccurate” and said that any reports about the show’s future at this point are “purely speculative.”
That means Jimmy Kimmel Live! has not been canceled, and ABC has not announced that the upcoming season will be the show’s final one.
What Started the Rumor?
The speculation originated with a report from Page Six citing a source familiar with the situation who claimed Kimmel’s contract “is not getting extended.”
If that report were accurate, the current agreement would take the program through May 2027, potentially bringing Kimmel’s 24-year tenure at ABC to an end.
ABC, however, has explicitly disputed that characterization.
The network has not announced a cancellation, a final episode date or a decision not to renew the program.
Kimmel’s Current Contract Runs Through May 2027
There is one important piece of information that is confirmed: Kimmel signed a one-year contract extension in December 2025 that keeps him at ABC through May 2027.
ABC announced at the time that Kimmel would continue hosting the program through that period.
Kimmel has frequently operated under relatively short-term agreements, meaning negotiations over his future have periodically generated attention.
The expiration of his current deal therefore does not itself mean that the show is ending.
The Show Has Already Survived a Major Crisis
The latest speculation arrives less than a year after Jimmy Kimmel Live! faced one of the most serious disruptions in its history.
In September 2025, ABC temporarily suspended the program following remarks Kimmel made while discussing the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The episode generated intense political backlash, and some ABC affiliates initially declined to carry the program.
Kimmel subsequently returned to the air, and the show continued its run on ABC.
The controversy also intensified an already long-running political dispute surrounding Kimmel, who has frequently criticized President Donald Trump and other Republican political figures on his program.
ABC’s Statement Changes the Picture
The distinction between “contract expires in 2027” and “show ends in 2027” is significant.
Kimmel’s current contract is scheduled to expire in May 2027.
But ABC has made clear that the network has not confirmed the show’s cancellation.
The network’s description of the report as inaccurate means there is currently no official basis for saying that May 2027 will be Kimmel’s final month on television.
Kimmel Has Previously Discussed Leaving Late Night
The possibility of Kimmel eventually leaving the program is not entirely new.
Kimmel has spoken publicly about the possibility of stepping away from late-night television.
Following the conclusion of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Kimmel acknowledged that Colbert’s departure made him think about his own future.
He has also discussed the personal and professional pressures associated with maintaining a nightly television program after many years on the air.
Those comments, however, should not be interpreted as an announcement that he intends to retire.
A Major Transition for Late-Night Television
Whatever ultimately happens with Kimmel, the late-night television landscape is already changing.
Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show ended its run earlier in 2026, marking the conclusion of another long-running network late-night franchise.
Kimmel’s program is one of the remaining major network late-night shows, having debuted on ABC in 2003.
If Kimmel eventually leaves, it would represent another major change for the traditional late-night television format.
For now, though, that remains a possibility rather than a confirmed development.
The Political Controversy Remains Part of the Story
Kimmel’s relationship with political controversy has been a recurring feature of his tenure.
His criticism of Trump has frequently made headlines, while Trump’s criticism of Kimmel has also been public.
The 2025 suspension following Kimmel’s comments about Kirk’s killing brought those tensions into especially sharp focus.
However, current reporting does not establish that politics are responsible for any potential future change to Kimmel’s contract.
ABC has instead rejected the claim that the show’s future has already been decided.
What Happens Next?
For now, Jimmy Kimmel Live! remains on ABC.
The current contract runs through May 2027, and the network has not announced an end date beyond that agreement.
Whether ABC ultimately negotiates another contract with Kimmel, changes the show’s format or eventually decides to end the program remains unresolved.
The most significant development at this point is therefore not a cancellation announcement — it is ABC’s explicit rejection of the claim that such a decision has already been made.
The Bottom Line
A report has claimed that Jimmy Kimmel’s contract will not be renewed after the current season, potentially ending Jimmy Kimmel Live! in May 2027.
ABC says that report is inaccurate and that claims about the show’s future are currently speculative.
Kimmel’s existing agreement does run through May 2027, but that is not the same as ABC confirming that the program will end then.
For now, the long-running late-night show remains on the air, and its ultimate future has yet to be officially determined.
Benjamin Harris is a RapidReports front page contributor and editor,proud father of four.
