Jimmy Kimmel recently announced that his late-night talk show had gotten an extension. However, insiders have shared that the show might be coming to an end quite soon. In fact, it’s also been teased that the host is planning something big for Jimmy Kimmel Live!‘s final show.
A Recent Extension Will See Jimmy Kimmel Live! Run Until At Least May 2027
Jimmy Kimmel has been the host of his namesake talk show since 2003. Despite the name, the series, which normally films out of Los Angeles, hasn’t aired live since 2004.
After 23 seasons, Kimmel became the second-longest-running host for a late-night comedy-variety show. He is second only to Johnny Carson, who hosted The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
As previously reported, Jimmy Kimmel Live! was recently extended for at least another year. At the time, Kimmel himself took to Instagram to share, “I am pleased to announce another no-talent year!”
Recently, however, insiders have shared that the show might be coming to an end once the recent extension runs out. This means the show could conclude in May 2027.
Speaking with Rob Shutter on his Substack, the insider says that executives and staff are already treating the extension as the show’s final season. The insider shared, “Jimmy signed that one-year extension on purpose. It wasn’t advertised that way, but everyone at ABC knows exactly what it means — this is his last lap. Full stop.”
The Insiders Also Teased Just Who Could Be Kimmel’s Last Guest, & It’s Someone He’s Often Mentioned On The Show
Network execs are allegedly said to be planning a celebratory send-off for Kimmel. Another source also described it as a “goodbye year.” They continued, “The audience has shifted to streaming. Ratings have changed. Jimmy knows it’s time.”
For the time being, the sources claim that Kimmel is looking towards the future. Allegedly, he is interested in digital and cultural projects. However, the sources also suggest Kimmel already has a big idea planned for the late show’s big send-off.
One source claimed that Kimmel is interested in having President Donald Trump as his final guest. They shared, “He thinks ending with Trump would be the ultimate finale — one last laugh, one last headline.”
As noted by Radar Online, Kimmel himself has talked about his eventual final episode. Speaking at a recent Screentime event hosted by Bloomberg, he shared, “I often answer that question, and then I do the opposite of what I said previously. I said this is going to be like my last one [on the] last three contracts. I said this is the last one. So, I’ve learned not to say anything anymore, because it upsets my staff.”
Have you been following this story? Do you think Jimmy Kimmel Live! will end with this recent extension? How do you think the final show will go? Make sure you come back to TV Shows Ace for all the latest TV and celebrity news.
John Witiw has been a writer since at least 2015. He’s covered a variety of topics, especially when it comes to film and television.
