The end of late-night TV was further hinted at this week when reports surfaced that ABC will be ending Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2027.
Sources told Page Six that the coming season for late-night host Jimmy Kimmel will be his last with a final episode date in May 2027. The show’s end comes after 24 years on the air.
“His contract is not getting extended,” a source told to the outlet
A spokesperson for ABC Entertainment, however, refuted the report, telling Page Six the “information is inaccurate” and that “any reports about the future of the show at this point are purely speculative.”
Jimmy Kimmel at the ceremony honoring Adam Carolla with a star on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame on May 27, 2026, in Los Angeles, California. (JC Olivera/Variety via Getty Images)
As noted by Page Six, the possibility of Kimmel’s exit comes after Rosie O’Donnell completed “a successful four-night guest hosting run on his show that ended up being a ratings success.”
O’Donnell was “in her element,” a source told us. So much so that she went viral for her mocking her longtime nemesis Trump by performing a parody of traditional Irish song “Danny Boy” she dubbed “Donnie Boy.”
Kimmel has been fronting the show since 2003, making him one of the longest-running network late night hosts behind only David Letterman and Johnny Carson.
The source, however, indicated that Kimmel’s exit had no relation to his ongoing feud with President Trump, adding that Disney boss Josh D’Amaro would be canceling the show purely for economic reasons.
“He’s not afraid of the administration… Josh isn’t folding,” the source said.
Should Kimmel’s show officially end in 2027, it will be yet another indicator that late-night TV may be a dying model, a trend that started with the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s show on CBS earlier this year.
As noted by TV Insider, the report could possibly stem from Kimmel renegotiating his contract.
“Kimmel’s recent deals with ABC have been structured on a year-to-year basis, meaning his future with the network has regularly been revisited,” it said.