Jimmy Kimmel has just renewed his contract with Disney for another year, bringing Jimmy Kimmel Live to our screens until at least May 2027. However, it turns out that it could be just a one-year extension, if rumors are to be trusted.
Of course, I never trust the rumors. I need to hear it from the horse’s mouth. After all, there were rumors just before Kimmel signed on until May 2027 that he wouldn’t renew his current contract. Then he did, making it clear that not everyone knows what they’re talking about.
However, times are swiftly changing, and there has been a lot of back and forth in 2025. Radar Online shares that an insider has said that we should be prepared for this contract to be the last.
Jimmy Kimmel has said the contract will be the last in the past
One thing that Kimmel has admitted to is saying that he’s doing one more year and then deciding to renew. He’s said it on the last three contract renewals, and he’s always ended up renewing for the next year. It is possible that for the longest time he thought that May 2026 would be the end, but then he decided to go for one more round.
Many people may have thought that May 2026 would be the end for reasons other than Kimmel. The show was pulled off the air in September 2025 due to remarks about MAGA and Charlie Kirk, but after an uproar from people on all sides of the political spectrum in a way to protect the First Amendment Rights, his show was put back on the air.
With that uncertainty, many likely wondered if Disney would decide Kimmel wasn’t worth the risk. However, with the backlash it received from the suspension, it’s likely that Disney knew it wasn’t a good idea to at least not offer a contract extension.
Jimmy Kimmel Live could get a goodbye year
When Kimmel’s contract was extended, it wasn’t stated that it would be the last year of Jimmy Kimmel Live, which has been on the air since 2003. However, apparently, behind-the-scenes, that’s the way everyone is looking at it. This is considered a “last lap” and a “goodbye year” for the talk show host.
This isn’t really to do with the uncertainty of the feud with the current Administration, but more to do with how viewers are tuning in. Late night TV used to be the must-watch television of every night, and now, just a handful of people are tuning in. People are turning to streaming, and Kimmel understands that that is the place to be.
He apparently has a wish for the last ever interview, though. He wants it to be Donald Trump. Because, well, of course he does!
Jimmy Kimmel Live will return in January 2026 on ABC.