Just when it looked like Jimmy Kimmel Live! was in the clear, the late-night TV show is once again at risk of going off the air. Another broadcaster could drop Jimmy Kimmel and keep him in the dark for millions of fans.
A distribution agreement between Disney and YouTube TV is set to expire on Thursday, October 30. On that day, the nearly 10 million subscribers will lose access to channels like ABC, ESPN, and FX. That means no Jimmy Kimmel Live! for late-night TV fans who depend on the subscription streaming service.
“For the fourth time in three months, Google’s YouTube TV is putting their subscribers at risk of losing the most valuable networks they signed up for,” a Disney statement said (via Deadline). “This is the latest example of Google exploiting its position at the expense of their own customers. We invest significantly in our content and expect our partners to pay fair rates that recognize that value. If we don’t reach a fair deal soon, YouTube TV customers will lose access to ESPN and ABC, and all our marquee programming."
In response, YouTube TV claimed it is "working in good faith" to negotiate a new deal with Disney and keep Jimmy Kimmel Live! and the rest of the company's content on the service. But according to YouTube, Disney's proposals would result in higher prices for YouTube TV subscribers. "Without an agreement, we’ll have to remove Disney’s content from YouTube TV and if it remains unavailable for an extended period of time, we will offer subscribers a $20 credit," read a statement.
It's a frustrating development for Jimmy Kimmel fans following the comedian's recent suspension saga. Corporate decisions from broadcasters Sinclair and Nexstar kept Jimmy Kimmel Live! off the air for millions of viewers in some of the country's biggest cities. Now, a new segment of Kimmel's audience are at risk of losing the opportunity to watch the show as it airs on ABC.
Perhaps Disney wants to recoup some of its loses stemming from Kimmel's suspension. Disney+ and Hulu subscription cancellations doubled in September 2025 following the network's decision to take Kimmel off the air. And to add insult to injury, YouTube actually got a massive boost from Kimmel's return, as millions of people turned to the site to watch Kimmel's monologue and related content.
The good news for late-night TV fans comes from YouTube's history of negotiations. In the past year, the service has warned about possibly dropping NBC and Fox. That meant shows like The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Saturday Night Live, and Gutfeld! nearly lost a chunk of its live viewership. Thankfully, YouTube managed to reach new agreements with those networks without any interruption.
Hopefully, that's the case with Disney as millions of viewers continue to tune into Jimmy Kimmel Live! every night. But if no deal gets made, expect YouTube to still come out on top as fans find a different way to hear from Kimmel.