Disney’s Dana Walden declined to say whether Jimmy Kimmel will still be hosting his ABC late-night show next year, adding uncertainty about the longtime host’s future as his current contract approaches its expiration.
Walden, president and chief creative officer of The Walt Disney Company, was directly questioned Thursday about “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” during Bloomberg’s Screentime conference in Los Angeles.
Bloomberg managing editor Lucas Shaw noted that Kimmel appeared at the conference last year before asking Walden a straightforward question.
“Is he going to be hosting his show a year from now?”
“I’m certainly not going to make that announcement with you here today,” Walden responded.
Pressed on why renewing Kimmel was not an obvious decision given his improved ratings, Walden pointed to the increasingly difficult economics of late-night television.
“The truth is, it’s a very challenging daypart, late-night,” Walden said.
“That’s not to say that Jimmy is not doing a phenomenal job and his ratings are up, but they’re up relative to a smaller audience that’s watching late-night on broadcast television.”
Kimmel’s current contract runs through May 2027 after ABC signed him to a one-year extension in December 2025.
The relatively short extension attracted attention because Kimmel had previously signed longer agreements with the network.
He has hosted “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” since its debut in January 2003, making him one of the longest-serving hosts currently working in network late-night television.
Kimmel’s ratings have recently improved.
According to ABC, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” averaged 2 million viewers during the 2025-26 television season, its largest overall audience in eight years.
The program also averaged a 0.18 rating among adults ages 18 to 49, making it the highest-rated late-night program in that demographic for the season.
Kimmel opened the new 2026-27 season with 2.29 million viewers and again ranked first among late-night programs in both total viewers and the key 18-to-49 demographic during premiere week.
Walden acknowledged those numbers but said the larger problem is that fewer Americans are watching traditional broadcast television late at night.
Kimmel’s online videos routinely attract substantial audiences, but Walden said those views do not necessarily provide enough revenue to support the cost of producing a major network talk show.
“Millions of people are watching on demand the parts of that show,” Walden said. “That is not a lucrative opportunity for a very premium talk show.”
Disney is therefore attempting to determine whether the economics of the program still work while also considering its long relationship with Kimmel.
“We’re trying to make sense of the business while also honoring a deep partnership,” Walden said. “I love Jimmy. We have a great friendship. He’s close to a number of the people at Disney.”
Walden said the company is weighing three fundamental questions: what Kimmel wants, what is right for him and what makes sense for Disney’s business.
Her comments follow conflicting reports about the show’s future.
Page Six reported in September that Kimmel’s current season would be his last and that his contract would not be extended.
ABC quickly pushed back. “This information is inaccurate,” an ABC spokesperson said, adding that “any reports about the future of the show at this point are purely speculative.”
More recent reporting indicates ABC and Kimmel have begun negotiations about continuing their relationship beyond the current contract.
TheWrap reported in September that discussions were underway over how “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” could continue after the 2026-27 television season.
ABC declined to comment on those negotiations.
The uncertainty comes during a period of significant upheaval for traditional late-night television.
CBS ended “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” earlier this year despite Colbert’s strong ratings, citing financial considerations.
Kimmel himself said afterward that Colbert’s departure left him thinking about his own future in the format.
The ABC host has also had a turbulent relationship with the network in recent years.
ABC temporarily suspended “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in September 2025 following controversy over Kimmel’s comments about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The suspension followed pressure from ABC affiliate owners Nexstar and Sinclair and criticism from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr.
Kimmel returned less than a week later, and the affiliates eventually resumed carrying the program.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
