ABC calls a Page Six report that Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show will close after the 2026–27 season inaccurate and speculative amid recent controversies and a legal battle with the FCC.
stock.adobe.com ABC is denying a report that "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" will end in 2027 after Kimmel's current contract expires at the end of season 25.
Early Tuesday morning, Page Six reported that Kimmel's contract would not be renewed, citing a source "familiar with the situation." The network responded in a statement to The Hill, saying, "This...
any reports about the future of the show at this point are purely speculative." Kimmel has hosted the ABC late-night show since 2003.
ABC denied a Page Six report that Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show will end in 2027. The network told The Hill the claim is "inaccurate" and called any statements about the show's future speculative. No public announcement has extended Kimmel's contract beyond the current term.
Page Six published an account saying Kimmel's contract would not be renewed and that the show would wrap in 2027. The item cited an anonymous source "familiar with the situation." ABC answered by publicly disputing the accuracy of that claim.
The reporting and follow-up statements place Kimmel's current deal through the end of the 2026–27 season. The news coverage refers to that expiration point as the anchor for the cancellation claim. ABC has not issued a statement confirming any new contract or extension beyond that date.
Recent controversies that may be driving coverage
Jimmy Kimmel has been in the news several times over the past year for moments that drew backlash and operational fallout:
Regulatory pressure and legal escalation
Brendan Carr publicly criticized Kimmel's remarks and signaled possible legal consequences for ABC. The FCC opened an early review of the network's broadcast licenses, citing ongoing probes into ABC's diversity, equity and inclusion practices — a review that began years before the licenses were due for routine renewal.
In response, ABC filed a lawsuit against the FCC in August, accusing the agency of conducting a retaliatory campaign that violates the First Amendment. The lawsuit moves toward hearings scheduled to begin in October. That legal fight increases scrutiny on ABC's operations and public profile, which can fuel speculative reporting about programming decisions.
Why this matters for the show's future
News outlets and trade reporters often link talent contracts, affiliate pressure, and regulatory scrutiny when projecting the future of long-running network programs. In this case, ABC's denial makes clear that no definitive decision about ending Jimmy Kimmel Live! has been announced. Contract expiration in 2027 creates a natural deadline for negotiations, but network statements leave the outcome open.
Those developments will determine whether speculation turns into confirmed changes to the show's status.
*Jimmy Kimmel’s nearly quarter-century run at ABC is not coming to an end — at least not yet — despite a report claiming “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” will wrap for good in May 2027. ABC Entertainment is pushing back after Page Six reported that Kimmel’s current season would be his last, citing a source who claimed, … The post
Kimmel, a longtime critic of Pres. Trump, has traded jabs with the president throughout his second term.
A spokesperson for ABC Entertainment said that 'any reports about the future of the show at this point are purely speculative,' and 'inaccurate.'
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