Disney President Dana Walden said “it’s a very challenging daypart” after she was asked about the future of ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, which was briefly suspended last year after the left-wing TV host’s shocking remarks about the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
“I’m not going to make that announcement here with you today,” Walden told Bloomberg after being asked on Thursday if Jimmy Kimmel — who is currently on a one-year contract for his talk show — will be keeping his show on ABC, which is owned by Disney.
“The truth is, it’s a very challenging daypart,” the Disney president continued. “That’s not to say that Jimmy is not doing a phenomenal job, and his ratings are up. But they’re up relative to a smaller audience that’s watching late night on broadcast television.”
Walden also noted that Jimmy Kimmel Live! and its host having a strong presence online “is not a lucrative opportunity for a very premium talk show” — as on-air advertising rakes in far more revenue than views and clicks from social media platforms.
“We’re trying to make sense of the business while also honoring a deep partnership,” she said. “I love Jimmy, we have great friendship. He’s close to a number of the people at Disney.”
“We’re trying to work through it and make sense of, what does Jimmy want, what’s the right thing to do, and what’s the right thing for our business,” Walden added.
Notably, Kimmel signed a one-year contract extension in December 2025 so that Jimmy Kimmel Live! could continue through the 2026-27 season, which leaves the show’s longer-term future open — and unclear.
Rumors about the future of Jimmy Kimmel Live! started last month, when a Page Six report claimed Kimmel’s show would “end in 2027 after 24 years on air,” due to his contract not being renewed.
ABC, however, denied that was the case, telling Page Six, “Any reports about the future of the show at this point are purely speculative.”
As Breitbart News previously reported, ABC hit Kimmel with major budget cuts earlier this year, telling him to reduce the number of musical performances on his show to just two per week, which was down from one per broadcast and a 60 percent reduction.
The budget cuts also came after the left-wing TV host was briefly suspended for his shocking remarks about the assassination of conservative icon and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
Days later, Disney and ABC caved to the pressure from boycotts and left-wing backlash, announcing that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be returning to the air.
Alana Mastrangelo-Wrask is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.