IfJimmy Kimmelis truly retiring, I’m going to be bummed, but after learning more about his reasoning, I have to admit, I’ll understand. Love his show or hate his show, it’s hard to deny that Jimmy Kimmel is one of thebest talk show hosts currently working. After only a few years working on the radio and as a TV co-host and co-producer, Kimmel quickly got his own gig to be the late-night host ofJimmy Kimmel Live!which premiered in January 2003. It was an unusually direct path to hosting a late-night show for Kimmel.
Most late-night hosts spend time as writers on television showsor as stand-up comics before taking on a hosting role, but Kimmel dove headfirst into leading a major TV network talk show.It’s now the longest-running late-night talk show to ever air on ABC and has been nominated for 14 Emmys, though notably, it’s never won. In January 2025,Jimmy Kimmel Live!was one of the highest-rated shows among all key demographics (viaLateNighter). DespiteJimmy Kimmel’s longevity and popularity, the host has occasionally mused about retiring.
Jimmy Kimmel Hinted That He Might Not Renew His Contract
Kimmel Leaving Television Would Be A Blow
I’ll be honest, I’ve never watched a full episode ofJimmy Kimmel Live!Late-night talk shows have never been my bag, but I’ve kept up-to-date on the hosts thanks to the power of YouTube and Instagram. I wait for popular clips to drop then, bam, I’m right there watching. That’s not to say I don’t know a lot about Jimmy Kimmel.I’m a fan of his easy-going attitude in his interviews and his natural hosting ability, which has helped him remain a professional in notable hosting moments, like whenWill Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 94th Oscars.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! 2022 Summer Guest Hosts, Ranked
Jimmy Kimmel has taken the entire summer off from his late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! with various guest hosts filling in.
I don’t even find Kimmel particularly funny in the way of Conan O’Brien and John Oliver, but I appreciate his showmanship and ability to get an interesting interview out of just about anyone. Which is whyI was disappointed when Kimmel first started to acknowledge his time as a TV host may be coming to an end. Kimmel said in an interview in early 2024 with theLA Times,
“I think this is my final contract. I hate to even say it, because everyone’s laughing at me now — each time I think that, and then it turns out to be not the case. I still have a little more than two years left on my contract, and that seems pretty good. That seems like enough.”
That comment suggests we won’t haveJimmy Kimmel Live!at some point in 2026 and that’s a bummer. He’s been a staple of the TV landscape and even if he’s not your cup of tea, Hollywood and pop culture have run through him. If you’re interested in knowing what’s going on in that world, then losing someone with their finger on that pulse is a big loss.
Kimmel Doesn’t Plan To Stop Working When He “Retires”
There’s A Lot More Kimmel Wants To Do While He’s Still Kicking
It doesn’t seem like Jimmy Kimmel understands what his retirement from late-night would even entail. A dedicated worker, Kimmel doesn’t see himself taking it easy once he does decide to retire,
‘I don’t know exactly what I will do. It might not be anything that anyone other than me is aware of. I have a lot of hobbies — I love to cook, I love to draw, I imagine myself learning to do sculptures. I know that when I die, if I’m fortunate enough to die on my own terms in my own bed, I’m going to think, ‘Oh, I was never able to get to this, and I was never able to get to that.’ I just know it about myself."
It seems like Kimmel’s concern about retiring is not directly tied to his loyalty and love for his show, his worries stem more from what he knows about himself.Jimmy Kimmel Live!airs every weeknight with few exceptions, and then there’s his frequent hosting duties. This is a man who enjoys working. I don’t think retiring to his home in LA and sitting in a pool is what would make Jimmy happy. He wants to do things. He wants to create and be a part of stuff. When asked about whom a future retired Jimmy would be, Kimmel responded,
“He is very accomplished. He speaks Italian, he plays the harmonica beautifully. He is an expert fly-fisherman. He does all these different things that I know I"m not actually going to do. He’s drawn some graphic novels that were very well-received. He’s very busy — it’s funny, whenever I think of what I’m going to do when I stop working, it all involves more work.”
Kimmel is obviously being tongue-in-cheek here, but a lot of people would answer that question with, “I’ll be on a beach sipping Mai Tais and sleeping in every day,” which is a totally enviable and reasonable position to take. Kimmel doesn’t seem to be interested in that life, however. He wants to keep making, creating, and exploring his interests. The talk show host had someone close to him who didn’t accomplish everything he wanted,
“I know that’s how my grandfather felt when he died — there were just so many things he had left to do. It bums me out a little bit.”
Kimmel doesn’t want to retire with any regrets, and he certainly doesn’t want to die wishing he had more time to accomplish his goals and dreams.
Jimmy Kimmel Never Wanted To Be The Center Of Attention
Jimmy Kimmel Live! Is Filled With His Family Members
If you’ve watchedJimmy Kimmel Live!or just checked out the clips like me, you may have noticed that he’s surrounded himself with his large, extended family from Brooklyn, putting them in key production roles on the show.Some of the best content he’s put out involves his family; check out his cousin Micki scare prank series (viaYouTube). It creates a unique dynamic onJimmy Kimmel Live!that truly makes it feel like a family affair. As such, it’s completely understandable that he wouldn’t consider himself the center of his show,
“If you think about it, I did everything I could to avoid being the sole guy. I love being involved in other people’s projects. I never had an urge to be the center of attention, and I still don’t. It’s not in my DNA. I won’t be doing stand-up after I stop doing the [talk] show — I am uncomfortable with it. I don’t like my birthday. I love being a team player.”
This all seems to be to say that Kimmel is not particularly interested in being on television or being a star. He just particularly likes working on his show and doing hosting gigs. Kimmel’s non-hosting career only consists of appearances on other talk shows, the odd hosting gig, the occasional appearance as himself on shows likeCurb Your Enthusiasm, and maybe a small voice role in something likeThe Boss Baby.He’s not the type of guy who’s going to create a whole new show once he retires, and I respect him for that.
The Idea Of Retiring Scares Jimmy Kimmel
Expect Kimmel To Be Around A While Longer
Jimmy Kimmel again spoke about his possible retirement a few months after his interview with theLA Times. Appearing on thePolitickin’ with Gavin Newsompodcast in August 2024, Kimmel spoke with the governor of California and co-hosts Marshawn Lynch and Doug Hendrickson. Their conversation was wide-ranging, but when it came to what was next for Kimmel, he said,
“You know what? I will have a hard time when it’s over. . . . It worries me, and that’s part of the reason why I keep going. Each time I think, ‘Well, this is gonna be my last contract,’ and then I wind up signing another contract — it’s because I fear that day, that Monday after my final show, when it’s like, ‘Okay, now what am I gonna do?'”
Workaholic seems too harsh of a word to describe Kimmel. It’s not as if his work dominates his life. He seems incredibly happy and proud of what he accomplishes and has a normal, relaxed life outside the show. However,there does seem to be a part of him that doesn’t know what to do when he’s not working, and it’s that part of him that might be a struggle to have to contend with when he does finally decide to retire.
Jimmy Kimmel has won 3 Emmy Awards for non-Jimmy Kimmel Live!gigs.
His quote also suggests that he may be rethinking his “final contract” comments from February. On some level, Kimmel may know that this could be his final contract and thatJimmy Kimmel Live!is coming to an end. However, on another level, just the very idea of not renewing a contract could be making Kimmel unsettled. Is Jimmy Kimmel retiring? Well, we’ll just have to wait and see, but if I were a betting man, I would say we can expect to seeJimmy Kimmelon TV past 2026.
