Jimmy Kimmel will be staying with ABC for another year, marking a 25th season milestone in 2026.

The comedian and late night entertainer has signed a one-year extension to continue hosting ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!,’ moving his contract from ending in May 2026 to May 2027. While this is expected to be his final deal, Kimmel has frequently changed his mind about retiring, so nothing is definite.

The renewal follows a difficult year in which Disney temporarily pulled him off the air after comments related to the murder of Charlie Kirk, and he recently mourned the loss of his close friend and bandleader, Cleto Escobedo III.

Kimmel declined to discuss his future at Bloomberg’s Screentime event, where the news first surfaced. “I often answer that question, and then I do the opposite of what I said previously. I said this is going to be like my last one [on the] last three contracts. I said this is the last one. So, I’ve learned not to say anything anymore, because it upsets my staff.”

He told his team on Monday and noted that he still believes late-night TV is viable, though its rising costs—about $120 million a year, by his estimate—pose a major issue. These shows started out because they were a way to get high priced talent for almost free. That was the whole trick. That was the whole reason they started these shows. It was deemed to be promotional. So, the idea that these shows need to cost $120M is crazy.”

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