Jimmy Kimmel Live! Renewed for Three More Seasons

Comedian and host Jimmy Kimmel has signed a three-year contract extension with ABC, confirming that he will continue to host and executive produce the Emmy Award-winning late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! for the foreseeable future. By the end of his latest extension Kimmel’s series will have lasted 23 seasons in total, making him “one of the longest-running talk show hosts in American television history,” according to a press release. In a statement, Kimmel said: “After two decades at ABC, I am now looking forward to three years of what they call ‘quiet quitting.’”

“For 20 years, Jimmy Kimmel has been a huge part of the ABC family and the heartbeat of late-night television,” said Craig Erwich president, ABC Entertainment, Hulu & Disney Branded Television Streaming Originals. “Not only has he entertained our audiences night after night with his sharp comedy, dynamic interviews and irreverent humor, but he has gotten us through some of the most momentous events in our history with optimism and heart. There is no one funnier and more authentic than Jimmy. We are so proud of the incredibly talented team at ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ and could not be happier to continue our partnership.”

The reveal that Kimmel has renewed his contract for three more years may comes as a surprise to some after the comedian expressed interest in wrapping it all up in a previous interview. “I wish I knew I was gonna do,” Kimmel said on Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast. “I have moments where I go, ‘I cannot do this anymore.’ And I have moments where I go, ‘What am I gonna do with my life if I’m not doing this anymore?’ It’s a very complicated thing. And there are practical considerations, and there are family and friend considerations and coworker considerations…I’m not going to do this forever. I would not be honest at all if I said that I have decided one way or the other. I’m thinking about it a lot, though.” As some may well know, this could have been part of his negotiating tactics.

This January will mark the 20th anniversary of the Jimmy Kimmel Live! series, with the show’s most recent season marking its 12th consecutive Emmy nomination for Outstanding Variety Talk Series. The series will pick up its roots once again and will set up shop in Brooklyn later htis month, having previously filmed live from cities including Detroit, Houston, Austin and Las Vegas.

In addition to hosting his own series, Kimmel is also well known for extending his duties to other programming on the network including hosting back-to-back Oscars ceremonies in 2017 and 2018. Kimmel also hosted The Primetime Emmy Awards three times and has worked on multiple “Live in Front of a Studio Audience” specials with Norman Lear.