Reports that Jimmy Kimmel Live! will end in 2027 have been denied by both ABC and sources close to the host, after Page Six claimed Kimmel's contract would not be renewed. ABC called the report "inaccurate" and said any speculation about the show's future was premature, though it is true that Kimmel's current one-year contract runs out next May, with no decision yet made on renewal. The story matters because late-night television is under mounting financial pressure, and Kimmel's show has become entangled in a wider political row involving the Trump administration and US broadcast regulators.

Kimmel's position echoes that of Stephen Colbert, whose Late Show was axed by CBS in May after 33 years despite strong ratings, a move widely seen as linked to Paramount's merger negotiations and pressure from the Trump administration. With Colbert gone, Kimmel now leads the late-night field, averaging 2.51 million viewers last season. His show was briefly suspended by Disney in September 2025 after controversial on-air remarks about the Charlie Kirk shooting suspect, prompting threats from FCC chair Brendan Carr, including the possibility of revoking ABC's broadcast licence — a dispute Disney continues to contest.