Jimmy Kimmel has recently renewed his late-night show contract, and he’s won Best Talk Show at the Critics’ Choice Awards, so one thing is clear. He knows what he’s talking about when it comes to late-night TV. One thing he believes is that late-night TV will be here in the future, but it may not look as it does now.
There are already some changes coming to late-night shows. Jimmy Kimmel Live will see a reduction of musical guests to around two per week in 2026, and it is likely due to budget costs. However, while late-night TV is being questioned right now, there is going to be some sort of show in the future.
Jimmy Kimmel doesn’t think late-night shows are disappearing
When talking to PEOPLE after accepting his Critics’ Choice Awards win, he shared what he sees as the future of late-night shows. There are questions about whether this format will survive in the future, especially with the linear ratings slowing down and the current Administration doing everything possible to shut hosts up. However, Kimmel doesn’t think there’s anything to be overly worried about when it comes to the future.
Late-night talk shows will be around. However, they may look a little different. Something that we have to accept is that we need to move with the times. We can look at shows like 1923 to see that if we don’t move with the times, there’s a risk of being left behind.
"Maybe it won't be as big, maybe there won't be a big band welcoming the host of the stage, maybe there won't be 15 writers, but I think there will be some version of late night talk show."
There are already changes happening to the format. Kimmel pointed out that there are late-night talk shows that aren’t technically late-night talk shows. Maybe they should never have been branded as that, but now they are. My Next Guest on Netflix is possibly one of the best examples of that, as the show no longer airs late at night, but David Letterman has always been viewed as a late-night host.
The change to late-night TV could be exciting
Kimmel, who has just recently renewed his contract with Disney for another year, sounds excited about what the changes could bring. He shared that the shows are some of the cheapest forms of broadcasting, so it makes sense to keep them around. He’s not wrong when you consider the cost of scripted programming and how networks are cutting them down for sporting events instead.
He also shared that it’s possible a big band will no longer welcome the guests or that the writers’ room could be cut down a little. However, he then went on to say that there could be “more opportunities for more people of various backgrounds and ages,” making it clear that he is interested in the changes and what it could mean for the genre.
"And in a way, maybe it'll be better because maybe there will be more opportunities for more people of various backgrounds and ages and niche programming that I think could be a lot of fun to watch."
With The Daily Show’s linear ratings seeing upward ticks and the growth in online views through social media, Kimmel isn’t wrong. Late-night TV isn’t dead, but it needs to adapt, as there is a place for it.