The Walt Disney Company's president and chief creative officer, Dana Walden, declined to confirm whether Jimmy Kimmel will continue hosting his late-night show, stating on Thursday that she would not make such an announcement at the Bloomberg Screentime summit. Asked by Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw if Kimmel would be hosting a year from now, Walden responded with a grin, "Well, I'm certainly not going to make that announcement with you here today." The question follows unconfirmed speculation that the current season of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" may be its final one, with the show potentially bowing out in 2027.
Walden characterized the late-night television environment as a challenging day part for broadcasters. While acknowledging that Kimmel's ratings have risen, she noted that this growth is relative to a smaller overall audience watching broadcast television. She pointed out that while millions view clips on YouTube and on-demand platforms, these channels do not provide a lucrative opportunity for a premium talk show. "We're trying to make sense of the business while also honoring a deep partnership," Walden said, emphasizing that the company is working to determine what Kimmel wants and what is right for Disney's business.
The uncertainty surrounding Kimmel's contract comes after a year of significant friction between the host and political figures. In September 2025, Disney briefly suspended the show after Kimmel sparked backlash for comments regarding the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. Earlier in the year, Kimmel clashed with the White House after joking that First Lady Melania Trump had "a glow like an expectant widow." These incidents occurred alongside his broader clashes with President Donald Trump and Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr, which Shaw referenced as factors making Kimmel's retention a complex issue for Disney.
Conan O'Brien, who appeared at the same summit on Wednesday, described the decline of late-night television as comparable to the historical decline of the U.S. auto industry in Detroit. O'Brien, who spent decades at NBC and TBS before moving to podcasts, said networks are increasingly demanding cost-consciousness from their late-night programs. He cited the rise of competitors like HBO and Cinemax, as well as the proliferation of multiple late-night options, as drivers of this shift.
Industry changes have accelerated recently with major network restructuring. TBS ended its late-night programming in 2022 after canceling "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee." This year, CBS canceled "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," replacing it with Byron Allen's syndicated show "Comics Unleashed." Reports indicate that "The Late Show" was losing CBS $40 million a year while operating on a $100 million budget per season. In contrast, CBS expects to make a $15 million profit in that time slot with "Comics Unleashed," despite the new show having a fraction of Colbert's former audience.