U.S. President Donald Trump’s request has been denied as ABC announced a one-year contract extension for late-night host Jimmy Kimmel on Monday. Kimmel, whose previous multi-year deal was set to end next May, will now remain on the air until at least May 2027.
In September, ABC suspended Kimmel’s show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, following controversial remarks made after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. However, after a public backlash, the suspension was lifted, and Kimmel returned with higher ratings than before, continuing his comedic jabs at the president.
The decision to extend Kimmel’s contract had been made months ago between the host and Disney but was kept under wraps out of deference to fellow late-night host Stephen Colbert. Kimmel’s current contract is now set to expire in May of the following year.
Meanwhile, Colbert’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is slated to end its decade-long run on CBS in May 2026 due to economic reasons, despite being the top-rated late-night show on the network. Kimmel’s show was briefly taken off the air by Disney following allegations by FCC chair Brendan Carr that Kimmel had misled viewers regarding Kirk’s shooter and their ties to the Make America Great Again movement.
Carr is scheduled to testify before the Senate’s commerce committee on December 17 after facing criticism from both sides of the aisle for pressuring broadcasters to remove Kimmel from the airwaves. Kimmel faced backlash for his comments on the aftermath of Kirk’s killing but did not apologize upon his return, clarifying that he did not intend to politicize the tragedy.
Having been on ABC since 2003, Kimmel has also hosted the Academy Awards four times and the Emmy Awards thrice. While many of his past renewals were multi-year deals, the decision to extend his current contract by one year was not immediately attributed to any specific party.