Jimmy Kimmel Teases End of Late Night Show

Despite the ongoing scrutiny surrounding late night, Kimmel argued “there are far more people watching late-night TV than there ever were,” citing the “number of views me and my colleagues get online every day and add in our linear-television ratings.” 

However, that doesn’t mean he isn’t afraid the ongoing political attacks targeting TV comedians could mean the end of the late-night genre altogether.

“We’re not just dying of natural causes,” Kimmel noted. “We’re being poisoned.”

And while the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? host doesn’t have an exact end date in mind at the moment, his longtime producer Erin Irwin hinted that the comedian—who launched his eponymous series in 2003—is more than ready for some well-deserved time off.

“He’s been talking about leaving for a while,” Irwin told Vulture, noting that she hopes Kimmel sticks it out through the 2028 presidential election.

“But I don’t know if Jimmy can do it for that long,” she added. “He’s tired.”

So, has Kimmel thought about his possible next career move after Jimmy Kimmel Live! ends?

“Professionally, I have no idea what I’m going to do after this,” he admitted. “Freedom is what I want more than anything. I want to be able to go fishing because the fishing’s good.”

While Kimmel continues to weigh his options, keep reading to see the TV shows that are renewed and canceled in 2026.