The Late Night TV industry has been making a ton of headlines lately. CBS cancelled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and surprisingly won the Emmy afterward. Jimmy Kimmel reportedly was ready to walk away too, and I've been worried about whether or not his show would end up sticking around. Luckily some alleged insiders recently shared some positive details that are helping to quell my fears.
On top of the ever-changing state of late night, earlier this month there were reports that Jimmy Kimmel has a reputation for being unmanageable. This made me even more nervous for the talk show host/comedian, but an insider who is reportedly close to the series was quoted by Naughty But Nice about the state of the program. That individual claims:
Jimmy wants to stay, and ABC wants to keep him. Neither side is looking for an exit. They agree on the big picture. Now they’re working through the details to get the deal over the finish line.
Do you hear that sound? It's fans of Jimmy Kimmel Live! collectively letting out a sigh of relief. We should take this rumor with a grain of salt for the time being, but if this alleged insider is to be believed, everyone involved wants to see Kimmel return for yet another season on the air. Fingers crossed it actually plays out.
These comment make a great deal of sense, especially considering how the show has been part of the overall landscape at ABC lately. Specifically, Jimmy Kimmel has been involved in the Dancing with the Stars discourse thanks to Guillermo Rodriguez being part of the cast. The same insider made more claims about how long to expect the talk show to stay on the air, claiming:
There’s a shared understanding that they want this to continue through 2028. The conversations are about getting the terms right, not about whether Jimmy belongs at ABC.
This timing sounds purposeful, as it would keep Live! on the air through the end of President Trump's second term. Kimmel has gotten heat for his political commentary, and the show was briefly suspended after comments he made about Charlie Kirk's death. Some fans are worried that the network might want to cut ties, which is why these new comments are so encouraging.
Another alleged insider was quoted in the same story, offering yet another update about where things reportedly stand between Kimmel and the powers that be at ABC. In their words:
This is about fine-tuning the contract. Both sides know what they want. Now they have to make the details work.
It certainly sounds like things are going well, and Jimmy Kimmel Live! is allegedly poised to stay on ABC for a few more years. Hopefully a deal is inked shortly, and we get an official announcement from the network. For now, these quotes are encouraging me.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs new episodes weekdays on ABC as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Fingers crossed we get news about the show's renewal sooner rather than later.
