Jimmy Kimmel Live! ‘to end after 24 years on screen with next season the last’ – after guest host was ‘ratings success’

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JIMMY Kimmel’s long-running late-night show is reportedly set to come to an end next year after more than two decades on air.

The comedian’s contract with ABC will not be renewed beyond the upcoming season, according to a bombshell report.

“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is said to be heading into its final season, which begins Tuesday and is expected to wrap in May 2027.

“His contract is not getting extended,” a source familiar with the situation told Page Six.

But ABC Entertainment insisted no decision about the future of the show has been made.

A spokesperson told the outlet: “This information is inaccurate – any reports about the future of the show at this point are purely speculative.”

Kimmel has just returned to his show this week after Rosie O’Donnell completed a four-night stint behind the desk as guest host.

Her run reportedly proved a ratings success, with a source saying O’Donnell was “in her element.”

Kimmel, 58, has fronted the ABC staple since 2003, making him one of the longest-serving hosts in network late-night television.

He is known for signing year-to-year deals rather than locking himself into lengthy contracts, giving him greater flexibility over his future.

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Sources reportedly insisted the potential shake-up is unlikely to be linked to Kimmel’s fiery clashes with President Donald Trump and his administration.

One TV insider said new Disney boss Josh D’Amaro would not bow to political pressure over the host.

“He’s not afraid of the administration … Josh isn’t folding,” the source told Page Six.

Another ABC source similarly claimed any decision “wouldn’t have anything to do with Trump.”

Instead, the report comes as D’Amaro has reportedly been overseeing restructuring and cost-cutting at Disney, including offering some veteran executives early retirement packages.

It has raised the possibility that financial considerations could play a part in Kimmel’s future.

The late-night star has repeatedly traded barbs with Trump and faced calls from the president to be fired earlier this year.

Trump hit out after Kimmel joked that First Lady Melania Trump “had a glow like an expectant widow” during a parody State of the Union address in March.

Kimmel later argued the gag was about the president’s age and was not a reference to assassination.

The comedian had already found himself at the center of a major broadcasting row following the September 2025 assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Disney briefly pulled Kimmel from the air after remarks he made about Trump’s response to Kirk’s death sparked backlash.

Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar Media Group also stopped airing the program on their ABC affiliates.

The controversy escalated after Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr threatened action against ABC.

The FCC has since launched an early review of the network’s broadcast lincenses, while Disney and ABC have accused the regulator of attempting to infringe on their free speech.