Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) has signed late-night host Jimmy Kimmel to a new one-year deal that will keep his show on ABC through May 2027, the network said on Monday, months after it was briefly suspended following comments about GOP activist Charlie Kirk.
Deal Reached Months Ago: Report
Kimmel reached an extension deal with Disney several months ago, but the two held off on announcing it out of deference to late-night star Stephen Colbert, according to a Bloomberg report published Monday. CBS revealed in July that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will wrap in May 2026. Kimmel’s timeline shifted again after backlash to his remarks about Kirk, which drew President Donald Trump‘s criticism and resulted in a short suspension.
But Kimmel attracted his largest regular late-night audience after his suspension was lifted in late September. He has been hosting his late-night talk show since 2003 and has also emceed the Oscars.
What Did Kimmel Say?
In a Sept. 15 monologue, Kimmel had stated on his show that the "MAGA gang" was attempting to gain political advantage from Kirk’s death, drawing backlash from viewers and prompting ABC’s parent Disney to suspend the program for a few days.
Then, in his Sept. 23 return to the air, Kimmel said, "it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man.”
The monologue from Kimmel’s return was released on YouTube, titled “Jimmy Kimmel is Back.” The monologue has 23 million views and is the most-watched monologue from Kimmel on the video platform ever.
Kimmel’s contract extension comes as late-night programs have increasingly lost ground as younger audiences shift to digital platforms and social media becomes saturated with real-time comedy.
Although hosts such as Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon rack up millions of views online, the revenue from those clips isn't enough to sustain large, labour-intensive productions.
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