Jimmy Kimmel has spent the past few years teasing a possible retirement from late-night television. And while fans probably can't imagine a world without Jimmy Kimmel Live! on the air, they shouldn't worry after the host's latest comments (at least for now).
Appearing alongside his wife and longtime executive producer, Molly McNearney, on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast, Kimmel opened up about the possibility of ending his late-night run. The comedian made it clear that any traditional retirement isn't in the cards.
Kimmel acknowledged that his 25-year-old self would probably find it “crazy” that he was even considering walking away from a show he built from the ground up in 2003. For someone who got their start in the unpredictable world of radio, Kimmel's 20+ years on ABC is the kind of job stability he could only dream of in his 20s.
The late-night host went on to say that he can't imagine ever not making things. So in the same sense that David Letterman and Conan O'Brien found new chapters after leaving late-night, Kimmel intends to stay creative for a long, long time.
But what does that mean for Jimmy Kimmel Live!'s future? Kimmel knows that he doesn't want to walk way, only to do a watered-down version of the show or attempt a comeback. “I know people who’ve been in that situation,” Kimmel said. “It’s funny. People make a big show of like ‘I’m done and I’m tired doing this’, and then they make a lesser comeback trying to do the same thing. That’s always a bummer. I always look at that and go, Oh, is that going to be me?”
So one way to avoid that would be to continue on with his late-night show on ABC. McNearney made it seem as if she's on board with Kimmel staying on television. "I would be happy to be done with the show and end it in a great way and do my own next thing,” she said. “But I do care deeply about that show and the people who work there, and I think the voice is really important right now.”
McNearney went on to argue that Kimmel deserves to walk away from nightly television and spend his time however he sees fit. At the same time, she wants him to stay in the fight and keep sharing his voice.
That point is important, as Kimmel has become a more influential figure in culture, not just on late-night TV. Kimmel has been one of the most prominent late-night critics of Trump, and the political environment has transformed Jimmy Kimmel Live!. McNearney and Kimmel haven't shied away from their increased platform.
Kimmel has only become more important in the months following CBS's decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The ABC host strongly condemned the decision to take Stephen Colbert off the air, suggesting he very much wants to be in the "fight."
And unlike Colbert, Kimmel has the support of his network. While ABC suspended Kimmel for his comments about Charlie Kirk, the Disney-owned company has stood behind Kimmel when it appeared as if the FCC targeted ABC as payback for Kimmel's commentary.
He and Disney agreed to a one-year extension in 2025 that keeps Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC through at least May 2027. The deal was reportedly reached before Kimmel's September 2025 suspension and was announced later that year. That doesn't guarantee Kimmel will stay beyond 2027. But it does give him another season to see where the late-night business and American politics go.
Assuming Trump does not remain president after the 2028 election, Kimmel could eventually find himself hosting a late-night show in a completely different political environment. It's not hard to imagine Kimmel wanting to outlast Trump, especially when the president has constantly called for Kimmel to lose his job.
Kimmel could conceivably stay through 2027, negotiate another deal and see what happens in 2028. If there is a new president and Trump is no longer a daily story, Kimmel could decide that he has finally reached the natural conclusion of this particular chapter. Or for fans, he could realize that late-night television is more interesting without Trump dominating the conversation.
With McNearney, Disney, and countless fans in his corner, it seems like Kimmel wants to stay in the fight and remain a creative voice. There still isn't any better way for him to do that than at Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
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