Reports surfaced on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, suggesting that ABC would not renew Jimmy Kimmel contract when his current deal expires in May 2027, effectively ending Jimmy Kimmel Live after 24 years on the air. Page Six was first to report the claim, citing sources familiar with the situation.
ABC responded within hours. A network spokesperson told both The Independent and Us Weekly that the reporting was “inaccurate,” adding that “any reports about the future of the show at this point are purely speculative.”
The story took on a second dimension when Spencer Pratt, the former reality star who recently ran for mayor of Los Angeles and has been feuding publicly with Kimmel since May, posted a celebratory message on X: “Newsom AND Kimmel gone next year?? Be still, my laughing heart! Things are looking UP fam.”
This article covers what each side has said, the context behind the cancellation reports, the Kimmel-Pratt feud, the show’s 24 year history including its 2025 suspension, and what would happen to late-night television if the show does end.
What Was Reported and What ABC Said
Page Six reported on September 8, 2026, that ABC was not expected to renew Kimmel’s contract past its May 2027 expiration. The report suggested the show’s run would come to an end once the current deal wraps.
TMZ added a layer, reporting that sources close to the show said there was talk among staff that Kimmel had been pitching other projects around town, including potential new shows and podcasts. That detail, if accurate, would suggest Kimmel himself may be planning for a post-late-night career, though it does not confirm a cancellation.
ABC’s statement was unambiguous in rejecting the reports. The spokesperson called the Page Six story “inaccurate” and characterized all reporting on the show’s future as “purely speculative.”
The timing of the reports is noteworthy. Kimmel had just appeared at the 78th Emmy Awards on September 5, 2026, where he won the Outstanding Host for a Game Show award for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Being the subject of cancellation rumors three days after an Emmy win adds an unusual dissonance to the story.
Fact Box: What Each Side Has Said
| Source | Statement |
|---|---|
| Page Six | Reported ABC not expected to renew Kimmel’s contract past May 2027 |
| TMZ | Reported staff talk that Kimmel has been pitching other shows and podcasts |
| ABC (via The Independent, Us Weekly) | Called the reports “inaccurate” and “purely speculative” |
| Spencer Pratt (via X) | Celebrated the rumors publicly |
The Spencer Pratt and Jimmy Kimmel Feud Explained
Pratt’s celebratory post did not come from nowhere. The two have been involved in a public back-and-forth since May 2026, rooted in Pratt’s campaign for mayor of Los Angeles.
Newsom AND Kimmel gone next year?? Be still, my laughing heart!
Things are looking UP fam https://t.co/dk6zJ8DDEF
— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) September 8, 2026
The feud began on May 27, 2026, when Kimmel devoted a portion of his monologue to Pratt’s rising political profile. Kimmel said: “You get a guy whose profession is to be the screaming jerk on reality shows, and his house burns down. So even though he had no private insurance on his house and doesn’t believe in climate change, he is understandably upset about his house burning down. And because he’s a moderately famous person he gets attention. For the first time in his life, people are agreeing with what he has to say. It’s hard not to agree with what he has to say. He’s angry about the same problems a lot of people here are angry about. Does he have solutions to those problems? No.”
Pratt clapped back by posting footage of his Pacific Palisades home being destroyed during the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires.
He escalated further on August 24, comparing Kimmel to Harvey Weinstein after Kimmel’s wife, Molly McNearney, discussed publicly how their relationship began when he was her boss at the show.
When Pratt finished third in the June mayoral primary, Kimmel celebrated his loss by decorating a U-Haul truck, suggesting Pratt should leave the city.
Timeline: The Kimmel-Pratt Feud
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | Pratt’s Pacific Palisades home destroyed in LA wildfires; his public profile rises |
| May 27, 2026 | Kimmel criticizes Pratt’s mayoral campaign in a monologue |
| May 2026 | Pratt fires back with wildfire footage and social media posts |
| June 2026 | Pratt finishes third in the LA mayoral primary; Kimmel mocks his loss |
| August 24, 2026 | Pratt compares Kimmel to Weinstein over his workplace relationship with McNearney |
| September 8, 2026 | Pratt celebrates cancellation reports on X |
Jimmy Kimmel Live: 24 Years on ABC
Jimmy Kimmel Live premiered on January 26, 2003, making it one of the longest running late-night shows in American television history. Kimmel, born November 13, 1967, in Brooklyn, New York, came to the show after a career in radio and on Comedy Central, where he co-hosted Win Ben Stein’s Money and co-created The Man Show.
Over 24 seasons, the show became known for its man-on-the-street segments, celebrity interviews, viral comedy bits, and Kimmel’s monologues, which increasingly focused on political commentary during the Trump administration and beyond. Kimmel has also hosted the Academy Awards multiple times and the Primetime Emmy Awards.
His current contract, a three-year extension signed in September 2022, runs through the 2026 to 2027 season, with a reported expiration date of May 2027. That contract was the most recent in a series of renewals that have kept Kimmel on the network since the show’s debut.
The 2025 Suspension: What Happened Before
The cancellation discussion also comes with the backdrop of a brief but significant interruption in 2025. In September 2025, ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live indefinitely after Kimmel made remarks about conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a broadcast. The comments drew criticism from political figures, media outlets, and ABC’s own affiliate stations. The FCC also issued a warning to ABC regarding its broadcast license.
The suspension lasted from September 17 through September 22, 2025. Kimmel returned to air after the period ended, but the incident marked one of the most serious disruptions in the show’s history and raised questions about the relationship between the network and its most prominent late-night host.
For readers following the current cancellation speculation, the 2025 suspension is relevant because it demonstrated that ABC’s relationship with Kimmel has not been entirely smooth in recent years, even as the network publicly defends the show’s future today.
Molly McNearney’s Comments on Retirement
Separately from the cancellation reports, Kimmel’s wife and Jimmy Kimmel Live co-head writer and executive producer Molly McNearney recently discussed the idea of Kimmel retiring during an appearance on Dax Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast. She said the prospect “definitely appeals to me for the nervous system,” suggesting a personal openness to Kimmel stepping away from the demanding late-night schedule.
McNearney’s comments were not framed as confirming a retirement, but they added texture to the broader conversation about Kimmel’s future. She and Kimmel married in 2013, and she has worked on the show for years, rising from a staff position to co-head writer and executive producer.
What Would Happen If Jimmy Kimmel Live Ends
If the show does end after its current contract period, it would leave a significant gap in the late-night television landscape. A few points help frame the potential impact:
- ABC’s late-night slot: ABC would need to decide whether to replace Kimmel with another host, restructure the time slot entirely, or program it with something other than a traditional late-night talk show.
- The broader late-night landscape: Late-night television has undergone major changes in recent years, with Conan O’Brien, James Corden, and Trevor Noah all leaving their respective shows. If Kimmel also departs, the traditional network late-night format would be reduced to Stephen Colbert on CBS and Seth Meyers on NBC.
- Kimmel’s next chapter: TMZ’s reporting about Kimmel pitching other projects suggests that even if the show ends, he is unlikely to disappear from media entirely. A shift toward podcasting, streaming, or producing would follow the path several other late-night hosts have taken after leaving their network chairs.
Who Is Spencer Pratt and Why He Is Feuding With Kimmel
For readers less familiar with Spencer Pratt background, some context helps explain why a former reality star’s reaction to cancellation rumors became a story of its own.
Spencer Pratt, 43, first became publicly known through The Hills, the MTV reality series that ran from 2006 to 2010, where he appeared alongside his now-wife Heidi Montag. The couple became tabloid fixtures during the show’s run, known for manufactured drama and a willingness to say and do things that kept them in headlines.
Pratt’s public profile changed dramatically after the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires destroyed his Pacific Palisades home. He channeled the attention into a public campaign against what he described as government mismanagement of the disaster response, which resonated with many displaced residents. That visibility led to his mayoral candidacy in 2026. He finished third in the June primary, behind the eventual top-two finishers, but his campaign drew significantly more attention and support than most observers initially expected.
The Kimmel feud began because Kimmel’s monologue treated Pratt’s political rise as an absurdity rather than a legitimate response to a real crisis. Pratt’s counterattacks, particularly the Weinstein comparison involving McNearney, escalated the tone well beyond the typical late-night host versus public figure exchange.
Pratt’s celebration of the cancellation reports is consistent with his pattern of using social media to publicly express satisfaction at setbacks for people he is feuding with. Whether the reports turn out to be accurate or not, his reaction guaranteed the story an additional news cycle beyond what a standard contract expiration report would typically receive.
The Bigger Picture: Late-Night Television in Transition
The Kimmel cancellation reports, whether accurate or premature, fit into a period of significant change in late-night television. Over the past several years, the traditional network late-night format has contracted:
- Conan O’Brien ended his TBS show in June 2021 after 11 years
- James Corden left CBS’s The Late Late Show in April 2023 after eight years
- Trevor Noah departed The Daily Show on Comedy Central in December 2022 after seven years
- Desus Nice and The Kid Mero’s Showtime series ended in 2022
The remaining network late-night hosts as of September 2026 are Kimmel on ABC, Stephen Colbert on CBS, and Seth Meyers on NBC. If Kimmel were to leave, two-thirds of the traditional Big Three network late-night chairs would still be occupied, but ABC’s slot would face an uncertain future at a time when the format’s overall audience has been declining for more than a decade.
Whether ABC would replace Kimmel with another host, shift to a different format, or use the time slot for alternative programming would represent one of the most consequential late-night scheduling decisions since NBC replaced Jay Leno with Jimmy Fallon in 2014.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jimmy Kimmel Live cancelled?
No official cancellation has been announced. Page Six reported that ABC was not expected to renew Kimmel’s contract past May 2027, but ABC called the report “inaccurate” and “purely speculative.”
When does Jimmy Kimmel’s contract expire?
His current three-year contract, signed in September 2022, runs through the 2026 to 2027 season with a reported expiration date of May 2027.
Why did Spencer Pratt celebrate the cancellation rumors?
Pratt and Kimmel have been feuding publicly since May 2026, when Kimmel criticized Pratt’s Los Angeles mayoral campaign on air. Pratt has since attacked Kimmel repeatedly on social media.
Was Jimmy Kimmel Live suspended in 2025?
Yes. ABC suspended the show from September 17 to 22, 2025, after Kimmel made remarks about conservative activist Charlie Kirk that drew criticism from political figures, affiliates, and the FCC.
How long has Jimmy Kimmel Live been on air?
The show premiered on January 26, 2003, and has been on ABC for over 23 years.
Who is Molly McNearney?
She is Kimmel’s wife, the co-head writer and executive producer of Jimmy Kimmel Live. She recently discussed the idea of Kimmel retiring on the “Armchair Expert” podcast.
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Last Updated on September 9, 2026 by 247 News Around The World
