2025 was a big year in the late-night television space, and all signs point to 2026 being no less monumental. As just one example, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is set to come to an end. However, despite a significant suspension, Jimmy Kimmel is going to hang around for a bit longer, and he thinks the late-night talk show will as well, even if it does go through some significant changes.
Speaking to reporters last night at the Critics’ Choice Awards, where Jimmy Kimmel Live! won the award for Best Talk Show, the title host said that he thinks that shows with the same format as his will continue on television for the foreseeable future, even if it’s possible they won’t end up airing as “late-night” shows.” Kimmel said (via People)…
They may not happen late at night. I think there are some shows that are called late night talk shows that aren't late night talk shows that still have the same format, and maybe we need a different term for them, but it seems to me it's one of the cheapest forms of broadcasting, and it would be very surprising to me if it, it went away entirely.
In an era of streaming television where the vast majority of content is available “on demand,” it’s not hard to imagine a late-night talk show format program not being a “late-night” show. It could be released at any time, and still give viewers exactly what they’re looking for.
One element that’s worth noting in Kimmel’s comments is that he indicates that one of the reasons to keep late-night shows around is that they are, compared to other shows, far cheaper to produce than scripted TV. It’s interesting considering one of the reasons given for the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s show is that it’s not making enough money. It’s an argument Jimmy Kimmel has specifically taken issue with.
Having said all that, the shows could get cheaper still, as Kimmel suggests that future late-night shows might have to do without some of what they’ve had up to this point. He continued…
Maybe it won't be as big, maybe there won't be a big band welcoming the host of the stage, maybe there won't be 15 writers, but I think there will be some version of late night talk show.
It’s not all cutbacks, however. Jimmy Kimmel went on to say that such a new generation of late-night shows might possibly open doors to people who haven’t previously had such opportunities, which could even create a renaissance in the format. Kimmel explained…
And in a way, maybe it'll be better because maybe there will be more opportunities for more people of various backgrounds and ages and niche programming that I think could be a lot of fun to watch.
A lot remains to be seen about the future of late-night TV. Hopefully Jimmy Kimmel is right and the future isn’t as bleak as it may seem. While Kimmel recently signed a new contract, indicating he’ll be around at least another year, it’s far from clear what will happen to the show from there.
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