Jimmy Kimmel voices concern about his career post-late night: 'I fear that day'

Jimmy Kimmel has been doing late night since 2003. He's dwarfs the rest of the current late night roster in terms of experience, and he's hosted the Oscars four times in the last decade. He's been incredibly busy, and he's starting to feel the burnout.

The comedian turned down the chance to host the Oscars a fifth time. He's currently on hiatus from Jimmy Kimmel Live! And he's been frank about the fact that he doesn't think he's going to sign a big extension to continue his show. Kimmel opened up about the conflicted point he's at in his career, and admitted some concern about what comes next.

Jimmy Kimmel is 'worried' about ending his show

This revelation came about during Kimmel's appearance on the Politickin' podcast. He told host Doug Hendrickson that he likes the idea of retiring from late night, but fears that his career will suffer once he does:

"I will have a hard time when it’s over. It worries me, and that’s part of the reason why I keep going."

Despite voicing a desire to settle down and enjoy time with his family, he told Hendrickson that he repeatedly goes back on his game plan and extends Jimmy Kimmel Live! for a few more seasons. “Each time I think, well, this is going to be my last contract," he explained. "Then I wind up signing another contract."

His reasoning is pretty sound. Jimmy Kimmel noted that late night isn't what it used to be in terms of popularity. The format has been usurped by social media and pretty much everything the internet has to offer. The lack of late night options is something that keeps the comedian tethered to NBC.

The comedian is slated to host through 2026

Kimmel, who has made occasional film cameos as himself, also pointed to the fact that he's been doing late night for so long that he hasn't really established himself in other mediums like stand up or screen acting:

"People think of you like a late-night talk show host. It’s not like you are suddenly going to start starring in films."

Kimmel is slated to host Jimmy Kimmel Live! through 2026. Given his transparency with fans, it'll be interesting to see where his career goes after that.