ABC is pushing back on a report that Jimmy Kimmel’s more than two-decade run in late-night television is approaching its end, saying claims that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” will conclude when the host’s current contract expires in May 2027 are inaccurate and speculative.

The dispute emerged Tuesday, Sept. 8, as Kimmel returned to ABC for a new season of his long-running late-night program.

Page Six reported that the show was expected to end in May 2027, citing a source familiar with the situation who claimed Kimmel’s contract would not be extended.

“His contract is not getting extended,” the source told Page Six.

If accurate, the report would bring one of the longest current runs in American late-night television to a close.

ABC, however, quickly challenged it.

“This information is inaccurate — any reports about the future of the show at this point are purely speculative,” an ABC Entertainment spokesperson said.

The network’s response means there is currently no official announcement that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is ending.

What is confirmed is that Kimmel’s existing contract runs through May 2027.

What happens after that remains unsettled.

Kimmel Is Under Contract Through May 2027

Kimmel signed a one-year contract extension with ABC in December 2025, guaranteeing that he would remain with the network through at least May 2027.

ABC itself announced the extension at the time.

That distinction matters because the current controversy concerns what happens after the existing deal expires.

Page Six’s report does not claim ABC is immediately canceling the program or terminating Kimmel’s current contract.

Instead, the outlet reported that the contract will not be renewed after its May 2027 expiration, which would make the current season his last.

ABC disputes that assertion.

The network has not announced an extension beyond May 2027, but it also has not announced that Kimmel or his show will depart when the existing agreement expires.

For now, the show's future beyond that date remains publicly unresolved.

Page Six Reports the End Is Coming

Page Six reported that the final episode would air in May 2027 and characterized the coming conclusion as the end of Kimmel’s 24-year run on ABC.

Kimmel launched “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in January 2003.

Unlike some television personalities operating under lengthy multiyear agreements, Kimmel has increasingly negotiated shorter arrangements with ABC, giving both sides greater flexibility over how long the program continues.

That arrangement also makes the expiration of his current deal particularly important.

Without another extension, Kimmel’s tenure would end next spring.

But ABC says no such conclusion should currently be drawn.

ABC Calls the Report ‘Purely Speculative’

The speed and directness of ABC’s response is significant.

Rather than declining to comment on Kimmel’s future, the network explicitly described the report as inaccurate.

“This information is inaccurate,” the spokesperson said.

The network then went further.

“Any reports about the future of the show at this point are purely speculative.”

That leaves an important difference between what has been reported and what has actually been confirmed.

Page Six, citing an unnamed source, says Kimmel’s contract will not be extended.

ABC says that information is inaccurate and that no determination about the show's future should currently be treated as established.

Kimmel himself has not publicly announced that he intends to leave the program in May.

Questions About Kimmel’s Future Aren’t New

Even before the latest report, there had been questions about how much longer Kimmel wanted to remain in the demanding late-night schedule.

Kimmel has discussed retirement at different points over the years, occasionally suggesting that each contract negotiation could be his last before ultimately agreeing to remain with ABC.

His wife and longtime “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” executive producer Molly McNearney also recently discussed his eventual departure during an appearance on Dax Shepard and Monica Padman’s “Armchair Expert” podcast.

McNearney said she would like to see her husband eventually step away and relax, while also acknowledging the importance he places on his work.

Those comments provide context for speculation about Kimmel’s future, but they do not establish that a May 2027 departure has been decided.

Kimmel has not announced a retirement date.

ABC has not announced a replacement.

And the network has not confirmed that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” will end next year.

Late Night Is Already Going Through Major Changes

The uncertainty comes during a period of significant change across traditional late-night television.

Streaming, declining linear television audiences and the high cost of producing nightly shows have forced networks to reconsider the economics of the format.

That environment makes any report involving another major late-night host particularly notable.

But in Kimmel’s case, there remains a clear dividing line between speculation and confirmation.

His current deal is secure through May 2027.

Page Six says that is where his run will end.

ABC says that conclusion is inaccurate and premature.

Until Kimmel or the network announces otherwise, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” has not officially been canceled, and its future beyond May remains undecided publicly.